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"May the force be with you". The iconic motto of the Star Wars fans could also apply to this year's Jeep Camp in the Dolomites, where the iconic enthusiasts will be celebrating the Jeep Gladiator's first European appearance this weekend. With the power in the German streetscape, the mega-pickup at a length of 5,54 meters should not have a problem. In America, he is still one of the mid-size pickups. Built in Toledo, Ohio, following its successful launch in the US, it will enter the growing segment in Europe from next year. Exactly 27 years after Jeep had ticked off the topic for the brand with the last Comanche pickup.
The night-dark body of the gladiator glitters in the morning sun, which finally found its way between the rugged mountain peaks of the Dolomites. The flatbed variant of the Jeep Wrangler surpasses this by more than 78 centimeters in length. The grille with the classic seven struts and the round headlights identify him immediately as a real Jeep. His 1,50 meter-long platform testifies to the nature and extent of his mission. In order to give him more air to breathe during heavy work, the openings were expanded for more throughput.
The new Jeep Gladiator uses the Camp Jeep for its first appearance in Europe
The Gladiator could not have found a better rendezvous for its first appearance in Europe than the Camp Jeep, to which the Jeep Owners Group annually invites enthusiasts of the brand from all over Europe. This time, the spectacle of the 12 takes place. - 14. July in San Martino di Castrozza in the heart of the Dolomites region. For the participants and their 600 vehicles of the meanwhile sixth European Jeep camp Jeep are waiting for a variety of terrain tracks on which the Jeep owners try out the performance of their vehicles legally. The majority of the partially historical models travel by trailer - many have no street legal or the owners do not want to expect their off-roaders in some adventurous equipment a long distance on the asphalt.
One participant unwinded with a 1989 Jeep Comanche 1000 kilometers.
Michal Kutina is one of those who traveled there themselves. In a well-preserved Comanche Jeep, he unwound the almost thousand kilometers from Wolfsburg. The two-door pickup truck from 1989, derived from the Cherokee XJ, is well preserved, but belongs to his friend, a hunter. But he even calls a whole range of Jeep rarities his own. How many, he doesn't know exactly, he grins frankly and admits. His collection includes a Honcho, a Willis, a CJ-7 and an identical Comanche, which the talented screwdriver converted himself into a rally version.
Among all the jeeps, the gladiator looks like a goliath among the seven dwarves
In the crowd, the gladiator looks almost like Goliath among the seven dwarves. For the entry into the 28 centimeter above the ground floating double cabin fits the term climbing. Good thing that a handle on the A-pillar help. If you first sit in front of the stable windshield, you feel like in the Wrangler. The same high seating position, the same sturdy-looking cockpit. Via the start button, the 3.0 V6 EcoDiesel engine with 260 PS and 600 Newton meters announces torque that always works together with an eight-speed automatic torque converter. Other engines for Europe do not exclude Jeep.
The Gladiator can be transformed into a topless version without doors in a few simple steps.
Fresh air fanatics can breathe easy. Even the gladiator can be converted into a topless version in a few simple steps. The folding roof disappears behind the second row of seats, the doors can be removed with the help of the tool kit and the windscreen can be folded down. Alternatively, there is the three-piece Freedom Hardtop on all Gladiator models in black, for the equipment lines Overland and Rubicon also on request in body color. All hardtops have a manual rear sash window.
In terms of price, the Jeep Gladiator should be classified in Europe where the Wrangler stops
Surfboards or bicycles can be locked in a special holder on the loading area for the way to the parking lot at the nearest beach. The four-wheel drive systems Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4 × 4, electric front and rear axle locks, an electrically decoupled anti-roll bar and of course 32 inch off-road tires support the journey into the rough terrain. The full replacement wheel can be found below the loading area if required. How much you have to invest in the gladiator is still kept silent at Jeep. In terms of price, it should start where the Wrangler ends as a four-door car, i.e. around 56 euros.
Text and photos: Solveig Grewe