Update 6/8:
At the end of last year, we said that come 2018, you’d be sittin’ pretty in a new revamped Jeep Woody.
We hope you didn’t hold your breath. Because there’s some good news and there’s some bad news.
First, the good. As you probably know, the Wagoneer bit the bullet in ‘91 after 25 years running strong. But Jeep just announced that it’s comin’ back — with a new big brother in tow, to boot. Jeep will be churning out both a Wagoneer and a Grand Wagoneer, both of which will be built on the platform of the next-generation Grand Cherokee.
Now, the bad news: that nostalgic woodsman aesthetic — and origin of the ubiquitous “Woody” moniker — is not guaranteed. Additionally — and please don’t shoot the messenger — the rumoured release date is now 2019.
But we can hope. And, for this one, we’ll definitely wait.
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Guys of a certain age, prepare yourselves. Your dad’s favorite TV show (aka Coach) hasn’t earned a reboot (yet). But we’ve got way better news for children of the very early ’90s and ’80s (and ’70s, and ’60s — basically anyone who was born after Kennedy died): The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is back in all its wood-paneled glory, almost a quarter-century after going out of production in 1991.
Yes: the ultimate family car of old is being retooled as a high-end super ute intended to compete against Range Rover. While the English marque claims a certain Wellies-and-mud appeal, we’re pretty sure the Woody will destroy them with its primed-for-nostalgia wood paneling and three-row seating, just two elements the brand hopes to incorporate in “the most premium Jeep we have ever made.”
Ready to buy? Price forecasts are as yet unavailable, though experts expect to see it in the Rover/Mercedes SUV range. Expect the nouveau Wagoneer to hit lots in 2018 — but look for a preview by the end of the year.
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