Jeep celebrates 80th birthday with special edition models

Jeep is marking its 80th birthday with the release of two special edition models.

The American firm’s story started back in 1941 with the iconic Willys MB and has grown over the decades to continue producing some of the world’s toughest and most capable off-roaders.

Now, eight decades on, Jeep is celebrating its milestone with special edition versions of its Wrangler and Renegade models.

Both cars – available in the UK this spring – offer plenty of standard equipment as well as a series of styling upgrades which help them to stand out from the crowd. Each vehicle receives special 80th Anniversary badging as well as a range of ‘Granite Crystal’ accents, alongside leather seats, high-gloss black interior accents and newly designed alloy wheels.

Renegade 80th Anniversary cars get a full LED pack with LED daytime running lights, while inside it benefits from an 8.4-inch infotainment system incorporating both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. A range of safety assistance systems are fitted as standard too, with highlights including adaptive cruise control, forward collision detection and lane departure warning.

It also comes with the choice of either a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, or a more powerful 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol combined with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The Wrangler 80th Anniversary, meanwhile, boasts a grey metallic grille, 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels and full LED headlights with automatic high beam control. The 80th Anniversary badging is used on the front wheel arches too, while a commemorative plaque is fitted to the rear swing gate.

It too features an 8.4-inch infotainment system, backed by a seven-inch TFT display ahead of the driver. The Wrangler also boasts a nine-speaker audio system with a 552W subwoofer.

The Wrangler 80th Anniversary edition can only be specified with a four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while Jeep’s ‘Trail Rated’ approval ensures that the Wrangler is able to keep moving no matter what the conditions.

UK pricing for both the Renegade and Wrangler 80th anniversary models will be announced closer to the vehicles arriving in dealerships.