AEV "skunk works" photos

[haven]

Jalopnik.com got its hands on photos of a couple of new
Jeeps at AEV's Michigan facility. These might be projects for
the military. Check out the photos here

http://jalopnik.com/5196148/aev-working-on-jeep-wrangler-j8-unlimited-military-package

 

[UofRichmondRover]

:drool: Probably diesel. Wonder why the choose to go to leaf springs.

 

[Abel Villesca]

Jalopnik.com got its hands on photos of a couple of new
Jeeps at AEV's Michigan facility. hese might be projects for
the military. Check out the photos here

http://jalopnik.com/5196148/aev-working-on-jeep-wrangler-j8-unlimited-military-package

I'm not sure this is for the US Military. Other than for unconventional or other special duty forces our primary criteria for a new vehicle is something that performs better than the HMMWVs with all the additional armor we have been adding to it. We're also looking for a design that can be as ubiquitous as the HMMWV and is as mine resistant as the MRAP.

 

[Root Moose]

Jeep is sold to outside of USA military forces. Middle East and Asia primarily IIRC.

 

[Abel Villesca]

Jeep is sold to outside of USA military forces. Middle East and Asia primarily IIRC.

True. That is why I qualified my post with "US Military". Even then, I am no authority on the vehicle procurement process. There are quite a few specialty vehicles in the inventory of the US Government that aren't general issue. Case in point would be the quantity of Defender 110s that DTRA owns or leases.

 

[haven]

AEV has great connections with the executives at Jeep. Here's one scenario:

Step 1: AEV convinces Jeep executives to sell some Jeep J8 chassis sans engine and transmission to AEV. The 4 cylinder diesel used in the J8 doesn't meet 2009 USA emissions standards.

Step 2: AEV convinces Jeep to sell some Mercedes V6 diesels, as used in the Grand Cherokee, to AEV. Jeep likes this, since they are planning to introduce a new version of the GC in 2010, and would prefer to dump the diesel in favor of a hybrid drivetrain to better compete with Explorer and Tahoe.

Step 3: AEV makes the USA-legal diesel fit in the J8, and adds seatbelts, turn signals, airbags and other mandatory safety equipment from the Wrangler parts bin.

Step 4: AEV now has a USA-legal diesel J8 to sell to the rest of us. It would make a perfect platform for a new, slightly longer version of the Earthroamer XV-JP, for example.

Oh, regarding the leaf springs, the J8 is made with leafs rather than coils and a stronger rear axle (Dana 60) so it can have a greater carrying capacity for military duty. I read on the Jalopnik page that the J8's Dana 60is available to be ordered in the Jeep parts catalog. Can anyone confirm?

Chip Haven

 

[JPFreek1]

Should have some more info for you guys by Wednesday so stay tuned.

 

[The Swiss]

Jalopnik.com got its hands on photos of a couple of new
Jeeps at AEV's Michigan facility. hese might be projects for
the military. Check out the photos here

http://jalopnik.com/5196148/aev-working-on-jeep-wrangler-j8-unlimited-military-package

I don't think these are projects for the military - these J8 are currently being built in Egypt for the Egyptian army and probably for some other countries - I think it is more a project of AEV making a J8 or Army-lookalike-kinda Jeep for the general public in the US. The beige JK is a true J8 in army specs (leaf springs etc) the green JK looks like a regular JK with the Army hood, rims and bumper, but regular coil springs. Not sure if the green one is a diesel, kinda hard to tell by the first pic. The beige J8 I have seen myself passing by at Chrysler in Auburn Hills and it definitely is a diesel.

 

[ChuckB]

AEV has great connections with the executives at Jeep. Here's one scenario:

Step 1: AEV convinces Jeep executives to sell some Jeep J8 chassis sans engine and transmission to AEV. The 4 cylinder diesel used in the J8 doesn't meet 2009 USA emissions standards.

Step 2: AEV convinces Jeep to sell some Mercedes V6 diesels, as used in the Grand Cherokee, to AEV. Jeep likes this, since they are planning to introduce a new version of the GC in 2010, and would prefer to dump the diesel in favor of a hybrid drivetrain to better compete with Explorer and Tahoe.

Step 3: AEV makes the USA-legal diesel fit in the J8, and adds seatbelts, turn signals, airbags and other mandatory safety equipment from the Wrangler parts bin.

Step 4: AEV now has a USA-legal diesel J8 to sell to the rest of us.


Chip Haven

I would seriously consider buying one of these.

 

[86cj]

I would buy a J8 2 door with No engine and transmission..........It must have the factory soft top though, that looks tough......


I feel bad for AEV these days, they do think out of the box and try to give people what they want. I am guessing the Jeeps with AEV packages they send to dealers are not moving well and future vehicles could be in question. They expanded at what turned out to be a poor time. I worked at a nationwide van conversion shop in the early eighties and even with the whole country as a market work was slow, I remember their pain..

I first learned about AEV when we were looking for a new Jeep and a TJ was just too small. I called them about a 104" WB or 10" stretch Wrangler they were making, they were real nice people and I would have bought one, if I would not have heard about the new Unlimited, a 15" stretch TJ or LJ that was coming out.

Hey AEV! My LJ is paid off next month.............

 

[David_in_TX]

PickupTrucks.com has announced that AEV is selling the J8 to the public:

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/04/aev-offers-military-spec-j8-to-civilian-buyers.html

 

[JPFreek1]

PickupTrucks.com has announced that AEV is selling the J8 to the public:

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/04/aev-offers-military-spec-j8-to-civilian-buyers.html

Yep, JPFreek has confirmed this as of 6:30pm last night and the J8 WILL be available for consumer purchase through AEV. The vehicle has the exact same specs as the J8 Sarge featured in the international market and will have D44 front/D60 rear axles, a rear payload of 2600lbs, the 2.8VM international diesel engine, and 35" BFG KM2 tires. Purchase of the J8 will be made available exclusively through AEV with the engine and tranny not being included but available for purchase and install through any AEV dealer.

An exclusive test run of the 2-door & 4-door J8 will be featured in the upcoming issue of JPFreek Adventure Magazine - www.jpfreek.com - so stay tuned. :victory:

 

[haven]

Great news! Call Earthroamer! I hope somebody makes
a camper to plop on the back of the J8.

I wonder how they got the 4 cylinder diesel to pass USA emissions?

Edit: The PickupTrucks.com article says ominously, "for offroad use."
Maybe you won't be able to put a license plate on the diesel version.

The article says the J8 will be wired for the diesel and for a Hemi V8,
which would be street legal if you install the emissions control gear.

Apparently AEV will only sell a rolling chassis. It will be up to the
owner to purchase and install the engine and transmission.

 

[JPFreek1]

Yes, you'll buy the chassis from AEV and then have the engine platform and tranny installed at an AEV-authorized dealer. By doing this, they're able to thwart the emissions issues.

 

[proper4wd]

There is still seemingly a huge issue with titling one of these. If it is sold as a rolling chassis, it will not be titled. Regardless of emissions issues, registering one will be nearly impossible without some legal trickery.