Spotted this past week cruising a parking lot (I kid you not), the next-gen Jeep Wrangler looks almost ready for prime-time - well, if you can look past the wrapping.

Apparently Jeep will unveil this rig at the New York Auto Show in the coming weeks. The newest update includes not only the four door variant, but also a new engine. Looks like the solid-front axle is still with us, though.

The new motor is the typical trade-off - smaller displacement, more power, more torque, but at higher revs.

Given how well past models actually performed off-road when in low-range, moving the torque peak from 3,200 RPMs (with the old 4 litre straight six) to 4000 RPMs with the new, smaller displacement mill, shouldn’t really be noticable.

On paper there IS a difference, but when was the last time you saw paper driving over logs & rocks?

Given the design improvements, comfort improvements and relatively low number of Jeep owners who actually take their trucks off-road, I think Jeep will have a winner on their hands here. Those who do offroad their rigs will be pleased, those who don’t will more comfortably rest easy with the knowledge that they COULD.

Let’s just hope the remembered to include decent cup holders with those two extra doors…

The specs are out and JP magazine has, in informal “around the office” chatter, basically said - “You gotta choose the new one - it’s simply miles ahead of the old design.”

Can’t say I blame them - jeep went to a lot of trouble updating what could be called the backbone of their “image” models.

Good looks and gee-whiz features aside, one place the old TJs won out was with the 4.0 litre engine - it’s not dead yet - not by a long shot!

It seems Land Rover is eyeing the North American market again for 2007/2008. They aim to simplify their manufacturing processes and bring a SWB variant to market here.

Though there is no current plan for a V8 option in the SWB model, the new Defender should still be a capable offroad performer. Reports are that the next Defender will use Land Rover’s new T5 platform architecture, the same body-on-chassis platform used for the new Discovery 3 / LR3.

Great news for Landie fans, and possibly some stiff competition for Jeep if Ford can keep the Landie’s prices in check. Offering only Ford-based V-6 engine options should help, even though most fans of the marque want to see a diesel here, sooner, rather than later. Europe gets one, why not us?

Here’s some of the article:

It appears the rumors are true: The legendary Land Rover Defender will be re-introduced to the North American market in 2007 (as a 2008 model).

More good news: Short-wheelbase, long-wheelbase, and…

Read the full article after the jump. (Opens a new window)