The new Jeep Gladiator sets foot on European soil for the first time and can be tested at the Camp Jeep

As you already know, the Jeep Wrangler will see its range expanded with the new Gladiator, a version that will combine the excellent off-road qualities of the Wrangler with the capacity solution offered by its pick-up body. The Jeep Gladiator will be available, among other markets, in Europe too, and this weekend it will set foot on the old continent for the Camp Jeep held in San Martino di Castrozza, in the Dolomites.

Based on the four-door Jeep Wrangler, the Gladiator features a pick-up design offered in the Sport, Overland and Rubicon trims, while also increasing its dimensions by 787 mm in length and 492 mm in wheelbase. It also uses the body-on-frame design concept, which employs a rigid and strong chassis that is also light thanks to the high-strength steel frame it incorporates, along with a five-link coil spring suspension with specially calibrated springs to improve its handling and comfort, all without reducing its off-road capability.

The Jeep Gladiator’s off-road capability will remain one of its strong points, partly thanks to the 4×4 Command-Trac system fitted as standard on the Sport and Overland trims, with a two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range ratio and Dana 44 axles; while the Rubicon trim features the 4×4 Rock-Trac system with a “4LO” ratio of 4:1, as well as improved articulation and suspension travel. Thanks to this and other elements, the Jeep Gladiator achieves an approach angle of 43.6 degrees, a breakover angle of 20.3 degrees, a departure angle of 26 degrees, a ground clearance of 28.2 centimetres, up to 76 cm of wading depth and 725 kg of payload capacity.

As we are interested in the European version of the Jeep Gladiator, on the old continent it will be available with a 3.0-litre V6 EcoDiesel engine delivering 260 CV and 600 Nm of torque, and it incorporates a Start/Stop system and a low-friction bearing in the turbocharger for performance at low revs and transient speeds. This engine will be mandatorily paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Aesthetically, the Jeep Gladiator does not differ from a four-door Wrangler, except for the rear body, even incorporating the same rear light cluster design. Obviously, the differences are found in the bed, which features a tailgate with damped movement that can stop in three positions and interior lighting. As with other pick-ups, in the Gladiator’s bed you can also fit items from the options list, such as the 230 V power outlet, the Trail Rail load management system or the spray-on bedliner. On the Rubicon variant, a protective cab and bed loading steps come as standard.

The interior will not undergo any changes, although it should be recalled that the Jeep Wrangler has been thoroughly updated to incorporate new technologies, which the Gladiator will logically adopt too. Therefore we will find elements such as the Uconnect systems, which can be 7-inch or 8.4-inch for the Uconnect NAV; or a wide range of assistance and safety systems such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Forward Collision Warning Plus and Adaptive Cruise Control with stop function, or the ParkView rear camera, among others. To all this must be added the large number of personalisation options offered by Mopar.

To see the Jeep Gladiator driving around Europe we still have to wait several months, as it will not arrive until late 2020.