Episode 857 – 4xe $10.5k Discount!
Jeep Wrangler 4xe Now Comes With A $10,500 Discount
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Now Comes With A $10,500 Discount If You Lease In A CARB State
Earlier this year, Stellantis decided to change how it allocates vehicles and only send plug-in hybrids to dealers in California and the other states that follow the California Air Resources Board emissions guidelines. Dealers still get ICE cars if a hybrid version doesn’t exist, but if you want, say, a Jeep Wrangler, you either have to order it or buy the Wrangler 4xe on the lot. And considering the cheapest one is almost $20,000 more expensive than the least-expensive four-door Wrangler, that’s a tough pill to swallow.
The good news is, if you live in a CARB state, Jeep has a couple of incentives that should make getting into a Wrangler 4xe a little more palatable. CarsDirect reports that the Wrangler 4xe Willys, Sahara and High Altitude now come with $3,000 in “CARB State Regional Lease Bonus Cash.” If you want a Rubicon, though, you only get $2,000. Combine that with a $7,500 national lease incentive, and you’re looking at a $10,500 discount if you lease a Wrangler 4xe.
That brings the price of a Wrangler 4xe Willys down to a little over $44,000, which is much closer to the non-hybrid Wrangler Willys’s starting price of just over $42,000. Unless you really take advantage of the 4xe’s 22-mile electric range, you’re probably never going to save enough gas to make up the difference in MSRP. But $2,000? That’s going to be much easier to make up. You’ll still want to get as much use as you can out of the EV mode before your lease is up, but at least it’s doable.
Family owns a so-called unicorn Jeep
Millions of Jeeps have rolled off the assembly lines in Toledo through the years. But a Hancock County family has a very special model. It’s a prototype made at the plant in the 1970s. The Jeep is so rare that the family lovingly refers to it as a unicorn. Because it never went into production, they say it’s the only one of its kind in the world.
Paula Smith says Johnson was a Research and Development engineering supervisor at the original Toledo Jeep plant. She says Johnson designed the Jeep truck prototype in 1977. It was not picked up for production, and it was supposed to be destroyed. But Paula Smith’s husband Michael Smith says Johnson had other ideas.
“He loved it so much, he would hide it in the factory in the file cabinet room. When the higher-ups would come in to find it, he would put files in front of it. When they would leave, the Jeep would come back out and they’d use it to get lunch,” Michael Smith said.
Michael Smith said Johnson was eventually able to officially own his creation.
“The boss at the time he was getting ready to retire let him buy it for $1. He had to trailer it home. He couldn’t drive it off the lot for legal reasons. He used his Social Security number for the VIN,” Michael Smith said.
Michael Smith said that was more than 40 years ago.
“I used to stack plywood on the truck in my shop, I had no idea how valuable it was,” Michael Smith said.
But Paula Smith says restoring the Jeep truck to its former glory became a passion project for Michael Smith.
Who wants more horsepower?
Who wouldn’t like their rig to have more performance? Now that means something different to everyone, and there are several ways to add horsepower. Now we could just say Hemi swap and end the segment. That’s always a good way to add normally aspirated power. But that comes with a big expense. But what about adding a little more power to the engine you have?
There are a couple of options out there. And you will need to assess the risk, and any warranty issues.
You could add a supercharger, they all force air down the intake, to increase the amount of air and fuel to the cylinders. and there are a couple types and they are both belt driven. The centrifuge style hangs on the engine and is plumed into your intake manifold, almost looks kind of like a turbocharger. Those would be made by companies like.
- Paxton
- Procharger
- Hamburger
And then there are the root & twin screw style superchargers, they would mount in the same location as your intake manifold.
You could find them at companies like
- Magnuson
- Sprintex
- Edelbrock
You could always go turbocharger, which would be engine exhaust powered and would use the exhaust to drive the turbo, to pressurize outside air, and force it into the intake manifold.
You can find them at companies like.
- Garrett
- Prodigy
You could always use bottled horsepower. Like nitrous, it can be triggered when you want more power.
Now Tony’s saying about no upgrade is left unpunished. And all of these most definitely have that issue. If too much boost or nitrous is added to an engine that can’t handle the added pressure, you will be on your way to that next engine. Can I suggest a Hemi swap?
Tony, what do you think would be a power modifier you would try if you would try one?
Jeep Talk Show Gladiator Update
Non-Locker Gladiator
LASFIT Auxiliary Switch Bank Kit, No Software Update Required OEM Style Plug&Play Front & Rear Locker Switch Dash Switch Panel 4 Buttons for JL 2018-2023 & JT 2019-2023, Red $245.65
ARB RD245 Air Locker Dana 44 M220 Differential – All Ratios $1,091.00
ARB CKSA12 Air Compressor Compact On-Board 12 Volts DC, Designed Exclusively for ARB Air Lockers Locking Differentials $241.00
$2,668.65
Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!
DEE ZEE DZ87026 Bed Mat/Skid Mat $106.99
Extra Thick. 375″ (9. 52mm) Nyracord Rubber Compound Construction
Will Not Rust, Crack, Or Break – Even in Extreme Temperatures
Rubber Material Deflects UV Rays to Reduce Fading
Custom Fit Applications Contour Around Wheel Wells for a Perfect Fit
Rubber Cleats Help Keep Mat in Place & Allow Water to Drain
Fit Type: Vehicle Specific