Saw the new Liberty prototype todayâ€¦Rubicon possible

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 2:28 pm

If you like off-roading, don't plan to give up your older KJ for the newer model. It will have a longer wheelbase (high center) and the new Electronic Stabilization (not good for off-roading).

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:12 pm

So I'm confused - they took the liberty, made it a little longer, slightly boxier, and put the spare tire inside. Isn't that the EXACT SAME as the Patriot? Even if it's slightly different, I can't imagine Jeep will be able to keep them in separate markets.

I like what I am hearing about the integrated door with flipper glass - I hate having to close two things to shut the door (and as cliche as it is, it's when I'm bringing in groceries that I notice it - two arms full of groceries and you need both arms just to close the gate + flipper glass). The fold down seats (and especially the fold down passenger seat) are great!

I'd like to see the new Liberty take some cues from the Honda Element. I just rode in one of those the other day and I have to say...WOW! It is not really intended for offroading and has an underpowered engine, but the interior is really well designed. I felt like I had TONS of leg and headroom, and the entire floor was rubberized. It had a two-part tailgate, but it actually had a TAILGATE that you could sit on. So cool! If they made the liberty shorter without losing ground clearance, I have to believe that distance came out of the headroom, which was already almost nil.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:30 pm

Marlon_JBT wrote:

Um.....

The Compass does come with AWD.

I was thinking of the Caliber...no AWD with the SRT engine package. :idea:

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:32 pm

Tokyojoe wrote:

Electronic Stabilization (not good for off-roading).

ESP gets watered down in 4WDLO...the Traction Control still works and that is a good thing

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:32 pm

I hate when they make a jeep that I already have... better. :cry:

I cannot buy a new one but they fix everything that I hate about the current jeep I have. :cry:

If they keep the current wheel base and make it longer it will suck offroad. Thats why the current libby is so good offroad, it has no overhangs what-so-ever. :wink:

A small lift to get the front end off the ground with a locker in the read and it can go anywhere.

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:18 pm

Personnally, I have to disagree with you on the Patriot, I think it is the nicest of what they had there.

I do not like the head lamps on the new lib, nor the entry exit to the back seat, worse than an XJ ever was!!! And the back seat legroom, well if you are over 5 ft, forget it... Other than that, it is a vast improvement of ours, the window switches are back on the doors, the front is real nice, Joel, BKH, if you sat in the one with the cloth skyroof... You sat in a real operational KK :wink:

I did not get to crawl under it to look at the front diff to see if it was the same as ours or not. IFS yes, unknown if it is an aluminum or steel center... "some guy" mentioned possibility of a steel center...

The Patriot is going to be the bottom of the line up. A 4wd off road well, can't say never, but I doubt it. Same platform as the Caliber/Compass, but gives you far more cargo room. I would definetly get one with the 4 banger and 2wd to replace the malibu POS I have for the wife now. The Patriot and compass had better backseats and entry to same than the new Lib... If only they could put that seat in the lib, and open up the door more, then it would be fine.

As for Compass, KWAV8R had the same thought as you did Darby. That would sell.

As for the Grand, it is going to be just below the Commander. The talk at Jeep is for a 5 passenger option for the Commander, as the rear seat is not going over as well as they had hoped.

So this is the lineup

Patriot
Compass
Liberty
Grand Cherokee
Commander

Wrangler is alone by itself with Rubicon and 4 door.

Off road package for new lib would not be called Rubicon, maybe Renegade was what I suggested since that used to be an offroad package...
About 1.5" lift 31" tires, lockers front and rear, no Rock Track T-case (that is why it will not be called Rubicon)

Kugellager · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:29 pm

Question:

What do you think the extra 10" in length does to the stock curb weight? The stock liberty is already over 4000lbs. When you put all the toys on many of us have the KJ goes up to the 4500lb range. If the stock weight of this replacement starts out in the 4500lb range the 3.7L starts getting needy on torque if you put the mods we are putting on our KJ's...The 3.7L in a 5000lb vehicle starts looking pretty anemic.

John
];')

Marlon_JBT · **Posted:** Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:28 pm

KK won't weigh 4500lbs.

The KA (Dodge Nitro) Starts at 3900lbs so I can't imagine why this vehicle should weigh 4500lbs.

InCommando · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:45 am

I think that the 3.7 may grow to about 4.0 or 4.1 before long, as well.

If the new Libby comes with the 241 x-fer, than that is fine. The Rubi uses a 241 but with 4.o low gears instead of 2.72. I really think ( and have read this from others too) that the 4.0 low is too low for some 'wheeling ( mud, etcc...), so the 2.72 won't be hard to live with. Most of the serious off-roading I have done was with a 2.0 d20.

ShoreRenegade · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:53 am

Are we SURE that this won't just be a Dodge Nitro clone??? Yuck!

KW AV8R · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:55 pm

From the artist's rendition "some guy" showed me, the KK will look almost nothing like the Nitro. If you take the Liberty, the Cherokee, and the Commander and mix it all together, you'll get the KK. The KK and the Nitro don't even have the same wheelbase!

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:04 pm

OK if you mix the Liberty and The Cherokee together it amy be OK but mix in that VERY ugly Commander and I will never buy one. I think that they are really messing up a pretty good thing by making it longer, bigger. Of course all car companies ie the early "real" Broncos went big, Thunderbirds, went bigger, I could go on and on, but in the end they made them bigger and that is waht killed that model, same thing will happen to the Liberty watch and see. The Liberty is what is keeping them going, sales have been more than waht they expected, so they go and mess up a good thing. Oh well I will keep mine as long as I have kept my Cherokee. NO new model liberty for me

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:50 pm

I agree. The Libby is very unique in its look. Nothing comes close to the look and sales are fantastic.

Many famous cars have been ruined by tinkering too much with the original design. Mustang...those late 70's and early 80's models looked really bad (-). Monte Carlo and Thunderbird are other examples.

Sometimes they don't know when to leave the body and basics alone. Just fix the current problems and issues (front diff and LBJ's), and you will have an even better vehicle.

Saw the new Liberty prototype todayâ€¦Rubicon possible

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