Unlimited Rubicon

I'v been waiting for this, figured it'd be a few years before they released it though. :clap:





Jeep Announces 2005 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Auburn Hills, MI -With unmatched off-road capability, the 2005 Jeep® Wrangler lineup continues to grow the Jeep legend with new options for Jeep enthusiasts. For 2005, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited adds a new Rubicon model (late availability), allowing hard-core Wrangler Unlimited owners to “Go Anywhere, Do Anything and Bring Everything.” Also adding more capability for Jeep in 2005, all Jeep Wranglers feature an all-new six-speed manual transmission. A new Premium package is available on the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The Premium package features new and unique cloth seats, silver painted center stack and instrument cluster bezels, bright grille and body color fender flares. Also new for 2005 is an optional six-disc in-dash CD changer system (late availability).

No vehicle illustrates the legendary Jeep 4x4 capability better than the Wrangler, the heart and soul of the Jeep brand. Wrangler is the icon of the brand, offering open-air fun and freedom with award-winning off-road capability to young buyers, seasoned off-road enthusiasts and those who are young at heart. With the addition of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in 2004, Jeep has delivered the joys of “Jeeping” to new customers.“The Jeep Wrangler and the Wrangler Unlimited are the heart and soul of the Jeep brand,” said Jeff Bell, Vice President—Jeep. “We have expanded the rugged appeal of the standard Wrangler to a whole new group of Jeep enthusiasts with the Wrangler Unlimited and now the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. The Wrangler Unlimited builds on the unique elements of the original Wrangler and continues to deliver a true emotional connection to Jeep customers. But with the Unlimited, Wrangler now appeals to a broader range of core customers who require more space.” All Jeep Wranglers wear the Jeep Trail Rated® badge, indicating that the vehicle has been designed to perform in a variety of challenging conditions identified by five key consumer-oriented performance categories: traction, ground clearance, maneuverability, circulation and water fording.

2005 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED RUBICON: THE LEGEND GROWS AGAIN
Building upon the success of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon takes extreme off-roading to a new level.The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon model builds on the award-winning capability of Wrangler Rubicon with an off-road system that includes locking front and rear differentials, front and rear Dana model 44 axles, four-wheel disc brakes and a 4:1 low-range transfer case. Not only is this premier off-road package fully synthesized by Jeep engineers, it’s an exceptional value to customers.“The Wrangler Rubicon was too popular with Jeep owners not to expand it to the successful Wrangler Unlimited,” said Bell. “With the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, we brought the Jeep sense of freedom and adventure to a new customer who required more space. The standard wheelbase Wrangler Rubicon continues as the ultimate off-road Wrangler, but both are rigs that are ready for serious off-road trails—and at a significant savings, compared to the costs of modifying the vehicle with aftermarket hardware.”

I actually saw one of these at a mall here in St. Louis. It was frickin' sweet. I am sure it cost a kidney and your first born, though. I wish I would have had my camera to snap a few pics.

Just don't try to lift it - apparently Daimler has figured a way around the protections offered to consumers by the Magnusson-Moss Act, and threatens to void the warranties of Jeep owners with more than a 2.5" lift. I was in John Elway Jeep in Littleton, CO today and saw a sign offering to install a $650 Skyjacker 2.5" lift for some $1200, along with a note next to it saying that any lift over 2.5" will void the warranty. I talked to the parts guy about that, and he sounded vaguely familiar with the Act, but said that apparently Daimler had bought themselves a lawyer who was able to reword the warranty to avoid those consumer protections...

Didn't I see somewhere that you could get it with a 5 speed automatic. If so, does anyone have any specs? Better crawling or better OD? Or is it just more speeds within the same end points?

6 speed sounds cool, throw a 2.5" lift on and 33s and you're set.

what interests me more though is the Dodge Powerwagon coming out, 2500 series truck with a little lift, 4.56 gears with selectable lockers, skids, 12,000lb. winch, 33s, Hemi motor, electric swaybar

Yucca-Man said:

Just don't try to lift it - apparently Daimler has figured a way around the protections offered to consumers by the Magnusson-Moss Act, and threatens to void the warranties of Jeep owners with more than a 2.5" lift. I was in John Elway Jeep in Littleton, CO today and saw a sign offering to install a $650 Skyjacker 2.5" lift for some $1200, along with a note next to it saying that any lift over 2.5" will void the warranty. I talked to the parts guy about that, and he sounded vaguely familiar with the Act, but said that apparently Daimler had bought themselves a lawyer who was able to reword the warranty to avoid those consumer protections...

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I suspect that Daimler/Chrysler wants us to believe that, it'd relieve them of a lot of trouble with warranty claims.

I don't think that Magnusson-Moss will allow them to cancel the entire warranty on the basis of a modified vehicle. But it'll take an expensive court challenge to show otherwise.

Is the warranty void only on rubi models or all?

In the new JP they jacked one up on RE 5.5 LA with 37"

TORX

Voiding warranties on modified Jeep vehicles is nothing new, i'v seen and heard about it at several dealers.

Fortunately here in Pa we have a wheeler friendly dealership in County Chrysler, not only will they stand behind their warranty, they will modify a new vehicle and offer it up for sale directly.

Matter of fact i bought my entire lift from County, including RE and BigOffroad pieces.

The automatic Unlimiteds are available now, you cannot get a manual shift Unlimited till 05.

The way Elway Jeep was posing it was that ANY Jeep lifted over 2.5" was going to have a voided warranty. Like I said, the parts guy was somewhat familiar with it, and said that it sounded like they'd found a lawyer who could reword the warranty statement so it didn't conflict with Magnusson-Moss. You're right that one could probably fight it in court and eventually win but you'd spend enough money to buy several new Jeeps in the meantime.

I remember hearing about a guy in Georgia a few years ago that had his warranty voided by D-C for "abuse" when he took his TJ in with a dead alternator. The dealer noticed mud in the engine bay and voided the whole thing. NO dealer was allowed to touch it after that, because the VIN was going to be refused. No matter that we have all seen Jeep ads showing the vehicles in far more compromising positions ("Jeep engineers" testing the sound system by submerging the ZJ in mud ring a bell with anyone?)

BrettM said:

6 speed sounds cool, throw a 2.5" lift on and 33s and you're set.

what interests me more though is the Dodge Powerwagon coming out, 2500 series truck with a little lift, 4.56 gears with selectable lockers, skids, 12,000lb. winch, 33s, Hemi motor, electric swaybar

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Yeah, I saw that too Brett. That Dodge Powerwagon is a sweet ride and set up very nicely from the factory.

I have been waiting for either the Jeep Rescue or the Rubicon Unlimited. Damn, found a CLEAN little 96 XJ that was purchased on Wed. Well, instead of paying interest on that Ruby, I can invest earlier in lift, etc...