Ace of Base: Jeep Wrangler Sport
Sometimes a manufacturer churns out a base trim that is — all things considered — the primo choice for that particular model. Here’s an example.
Jeep, especially the Wrangler, tends to evoke a visceral response from both fans and haters alike. Nevertheless, barring the original Volkswagen Beetle and Mini Cooper, few vehicles exist that so solidly own a certain body style as much as the Wrangler. Say “Jeep” to just about anyone, even if they care not about cars, and they’ll likely conjure the image above.
In base form, dubbed ‘Sport’ by some shrewd, pencil-necked marketers, the Wrangler offers up Chrysler’s now ubiquitous Pentastar V6, which powers everything from rear-drive Chargers to front-drive minivans. Delivering near-as-makes-no-difference 300 horsepower, the engine is lashed to a six-speed manual that’s a fine choice for everyone except extreme rock crawlers. For the Moab set, automatics are king. For the rest of us, Save the Manuals and skip the $1,350 automatic.
For better or worse, Jeep is FCA’s sales powerhouse, and pricing the base Wrangler a few shades under $25,000 undoubtedly contributes to this endeavor. Helping capture conquest buyers is an interior that no longer resembles a monk’s cave, equipped as it is with decent cloth seats and a tilt steering column. Don’t worry, purists; there’s still no headliner at this price.
The hue shown here is the $0 Firecracker Red, chosen because it stands out in a crowd and I like the name. Jaunty greens and blues are also on offer for $0. Sixteen inch on/off-road tires, fog lamps, and Dana front and rear axles are all standard. Optional Freedom Tops and Frontal Masks sound like big fun until you realize they’re only for use on the vehicle, so we’ll pass.
Sure, the Rubicon has a better 4×4 setup and gnarly 17-inch off-road tires. However, by choosing the base model and saving $10,000, you can roll to your nearest aftermarket shop with a shopping list and a wad of cash. Ten large buys a lot of off-road equipment.
And if you think this Ace of Base instalment is controversial, wait until you see the next one: it’s a $50,000 SUV.
Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selection.
The model above is shown in American dollars with American options and trim — apple pie and bald eagles not included. As always, your dealer may sell for less.
Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
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Trim levels[edit] North American YJ/Wranglers were available in the following standard trims. Base: also referred to as "S" & "SE" at different points in the model run; first few years the back seat and rear bumperettes were optional, some years the 6cyl engine was an option, other years only the 4cyl was available in the "Base" model. An A/M radio (later AM/FM stereo) with two speakers came standard, as did high-back vinyl bucket seats and a heater and blower. An AM/FM stereo, cassette player, and air conditioning were optional. In 1986, a basic Wrangler Base cost $8,995 MSRP. Laredo: Chrome grille, bumpers, and trim, hard top and hard full doors, tinted windows, faux leather interior, body color fender flares and alloy wheels. An AM/FM stereo with cassette player, rear speaker sound bar, air conditioning, rear removable bench seat, and high-back cloth bucket seats all came standard.'LAREDO' decals adorned the hood on both sides or on the lower front fenders as part of the side stripes. Islander: See Islander Sport: which featured "sport" graphics and, beginning in 1991, a 4.0 L 242 CID inline-6-cylinder engine. An AM/FM stereo with two speakers and a rear removable bench seat came standard. A cassette player, rear speaker sound bar, cloth high-back bucket seats, and air conditioning were optional. Sahara: which came standard with most available options, including body color fender flares and steel wheels, also included with the Sahara edition are special green trail-cloth seats with storage pockets, interior door panels with pockets, front bumper mounted fog lamps, and plastic ends on the front bumper). An AM/FM stereo with cassette player, rear speaker sound bar, unique cloth-and-vinyl high-back bucket seats, rear removable bench seat, exterior color steel wheels, and air conditioning were all standard on this model. Renegade: See Renegade. 'Sahara Edition' decals adorned both front fenders. Rio Grande: Available in champagne gold, moss green, white, along with the rare colors aqua pearl metallic, and Bright Mango; with a Pueblo themed interior trim package. This trim was only available in 1995, and was added to spice up the base 4-cylinder Wrangler 'S' models A cassette player, rear speaker sound bar, and cloth high-back bucket seats came standard, and air conditioning and alloy wheels were all available on this model. Red-and-orange 'Rio Grande' decals adorned both rear fenders.
It seems FCA (Jeep) are using the Sport naming convention as a marketing tool. The Sport name on Jeep products were not the lowest level trim available in the past, but more a mid spec trim. It's all about money and deception.