Very surprised at this since being a vehicle coming out in the middle of the whole manual phase out stage you expect it to follow that phase out. Maybe this might last for a few years? up to the mid-cycle refresh? or maybe manuals aren't as dead as they seem to be?
Wrangler JL To Come With Manual Too
Earlier this week we saw a close up spy shot of the Wrangler JL EcoDiesel’s interior with an eight-speed automatic shifter. Today, spy photographer Brian Williams has released a picture of the next gen Wrangler prototype’s interior but instead of an automatic shifter, this mule has a stick shift.
That’s right, future Wrangler JL owners can get it with an eight-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual transmission. Jalopnik says that even though the exterior looks like any other Wrangler, the cabin wires and the odd looking shifter was what gave it away.
This is a smart move on Jeep’s part because there are plenty of Jeep enthusiast out there who prefer manual over automatic. Also, you may not see it but the reverse gear is located in the upper left corner instead of the bottom right which means the JL could be using a different manual transmission than the outgoing model.
We’ll probably only see the manual transmission in certain trims but, don’t hold your breath if you’re hoping for a manual diesel Jl. It’s most likely going to be paired with the Jeep’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine.
