Following the Grand Cherokee Compass and the Patriot Altitude, Jeep unveiled the Wrangler Ultimate Altitude 2012 expected to hit market this month. The Ultimate Altitude package mainly consists in visual elements but also a new engine boasting higher performances and a better fuel efficiency.
The 3.8 liter V6 engine has been replaced in the Ultimate Altitude, by a more powerful yet fuel efficient 3.6 V6 engine that delivers 285 horsepower, 260 lb-ft of torque and 21 miles to the gallon highway and 16 mpg city. Compared with the 3.8 liter engine, the unit found in the Altitude delivers 83 more horsepower and an additional 23 lb-ft of torque. The new engine is coupled with either a 6 speed manual, or a 5 speed automatic gearbox, both of which send the engine power to all four wheels.
On the exterior the Wrangler Unlimited Altitude includes body color hardtop, a Moparblack fuel fill door, matte black grille badge, a set of unique 18 inch with black-painted spokes and polished wheel rings. Furthermore, the Unlimited Altitude 2012 comes in three colors including Deep Cherry Red, Bright White and Bright Silver Metallic.
On the interior the Altitude received black leather upholstery with red stitching, black floor mats and black trim on the dashboard. In addition, the instrument panel has been redesigned; the storage areas have been improved, the door armrest areas have been made more comfortable, the center stack has been redesigned as well and overall higher quality materials have been used to make the interior more pleasant.
As far as pricing goes, the Wrangler Unlimited Altitude is to be sold at the price of $33,740 and only 4,500 units will be built, making it somewhat of a limited edition. Perhaps being a "limited edition" variant explains why the Wrangler Altitude is almost as pricey as theGrand Cherokee Altitude which costs roughly $35,500.
Furthermore, the Unlimited Altitude costs about $7,000 more than the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser, about $8,000 more than the 2012 Nissan Xterra, and if you're looking for an even less pricey alternative you might give the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara, which costs $19,500. In fact, the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara Limited AT 4WD version, with all the optional extras included will set you back somewhere around $32,700 which is still $1000 cheaper than the Wrangler Unlimited Altitude 2012.
