Jeep recently tweeted an extremely cryptic photograph and message.
As you can see, the photo shows a sign. On that sign is the iconic outline of a Wrangler. Underneath the Wrangler is an arrow pointing upwards with the number 40.4 next to it. The message reads, "a sign of things to come."
So we know we're dealing with something new related to the Wrangler. The most obvious answer is an increase in some off-road-related figure. It's not ground clearance, as the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 currently has 10.3 inches of clearance. Perhaps Jeep is building a model with portal axles to compete with the G500 4x4 Squared? Nah. Even with portal axles, the Squared only had a ground clearance of 18 inches.
It could also be wading depth, but that would mean an increase of 10.4 inches over the standard model. While that may not look difficult on paper, it's extremely tough to engineer an off-roader that can dive that deep.
Jeep fans are also speculating. One theory we do like is related to the Wrangler 4xe. It's currently equipped with a 17.3 kWh battery, giving it a 21-mile electric range. The base Nissan Leaf has a 40-kWh battery and a 151-mile range. Is the production version of the Wrangler Magneto coming sooner than we think, or will the 4xe be upgraded with a usable off-road electric range? Since the 4xe is new, we doubt Jeep will upset early adopters by offering a better model so soon after the initial launch.
Perhaps the secret is the iconic outline of the Wrangler on the sign? Why doesn't it have a roof? Is Jeep finally going to introduce a Wrangler roadster instead of teasing us with yet another roofless concept? Roadsters are, like, so hot right now. The 40.4 could indicate a base MSRP of $40,400.
We also can't help but notice the desert in the background. It could just be a sign that the Wrangler's facelift is coming and that climate control will now be standard across the range. Then again, 40.4 degrees Fahrenheit is a bit too close to freezing.
This hint is just too subtle for us, and without an Alan Turing on hand, we'll have to wait for the next teaser tweet to come along.