In case you did not know, April 4 is National Jeep 4X4 Day. And in its honor, Jeep is taking the day to kick off a big promotion for its new 2020 Gladiator pickup truck.
The 2020 Gladiator is a midsize truck that has the appearance of a four-door Jeep Wrangler with a 5-foot bed. But beneath the Wrangler body is an authentic boxed truck frame with solid axles, standard four-wheel-drive and a tow rating of 7,650 pounds.
Production will begin in April at the Toledo (Ohio) South manufacturing facility, which also builds Wranglers in Toledo North. The truck then will head for dealerships around May-June, if all goes well.
Gladiator will be sold in trim levels of Sport, Sport S, Overland (more luxurious) and Rubicon, which is the trail master with more sophisticated 4WD systems. There are three roof choices of hardtop, soft-top convertible or removable hardtop.
At launch, all models will have a 285-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 and standard six-speed manual or optional eight-speed automatic transmission. A 240-hp 3.0-liter diesel engine, with 442 lb.-ft. of torque, will be available later next year.
Starting prices range from about $35,000 for the Sport to $45,000 for the Rubicon. Paint colors are black, bright white, Billet Silver Metallic, Firecracker Red, and Granite Crystal Metallic.
But for eager buyers considering the vintage-looking Gladiator, there will be a special launch edition truck with unique features.
Launch Edition
The Gladiator Launch Edition, $61,680, will be limited to 4,190 trucks. The Rubicon trim-level truck is loaded with factory options and unique features, including a “One of 4,190” forged aluminum tailgate badge. The number is a tribute to its birthplace, the 419 area code of Toledo, Ohio.
The online preorder opportunity will be a one-day rush on April 4. Buyers of the Gladiator Launch Edition also will be eligible to enter Jeep’s “Find Your Freedom” contest, where they have a chance at winning a year’s salary of $100,000, so they can take time off to go exploring with their truck.
Special launch edition features include a body-color hard top and fender flares, 17-inch midgloss black aluminum wheels with 33-inch Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires, a wrapped instrument midsection painted in Monaco silver, and black leather seats with red accent stitching.
Standard features include LED headlights and tail lights, an 8.4-inch touch screen, a nine-speaker Alpine sound system, keyless entry, forward-facing trail camera and rearview camera, blind-spot and cross-path detection, rear park-assist system, advanced brake assist, full-speed forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, cargo management system, spray-in bedliner and trailer-tow package.
Ordering is through a special online concierge at jeep.com/gladiator/launch-edition.html. The concierge will take the order, pair the customer to a dealer of their choosing to submit their deposit, estimate a possible trade-in value, then finalize the sale and ultimately take delivery.
