In budget negotiations, managers often employ the "Washington Monument" ploy. Faced with budget cuts, the department head proposes, "Well, we could always remove the Washington Monument." Substitute a similarly loved and revered project to make this work in your area. Everyone recoils in horror, and the budget remains intact.
I think the IFS Wrangler proposal is one of these ploys. Suggest it, and everyone get all excited. "I'll be buried in my solid axle jeep!" And so on. As Matthew Scott points out in his article on the ExPo front page, Jeep sells every solid axle Wrangler they can make. Jeep has no incentive to change this magic formula.
Another reason that Jeep won't make an IFS Wrangler is that they already do make IFS 4x4 vehicles in the Wrangler's price range, namely the new Cherokee on the low end, and Grand Cherokee on the high end. Making the Wrangler more like these vehicles only reduces its appeal, and confuses potential customers.
There are several ways Jeep can make the Wrangler more fuel efficient without messing with the basic formula. Lighter materials, better aerodynamics, a small diesel or a gas-electric hybrid, and a new transmission with more gears (the new Cherokee has a nine speed auto trans) are just a couple of ways the new Wrangler will get better fuel economy numbers.
