392 Gladiator V8 Hemi confirmed by Jeep CEO!

[jmr]

You get it with a Rubicon X no matter what. If we actually accept that Jeep as it comes in, at this point up in the air as Jeep as f'd up the options - I'd prefer to trade for a Rubicon aluminum hood. Why the hell would I want a heavy steel hood? Because it looks cool?

The people on the dark side - I mean, Wrangler side of these forums claim it's a misprint and they really mean steel bumper. Nope, sorry, it's a steel performance hood.. .The bumpers have their own line item in the build sheet. .

It's a option for the 2026 non X Rubicon too go figure.

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[4-Low]

I'm catching the tail end of this thread, but I heard that the large fire at the aluminum supplier (same one that hurt Ford truck production) caused Jeep to do this steel "performance" hood on more of the vehicles they're building.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I'm catching the tail end of this thread, but I heard that the large fire at the aluminum supplier (same one that hurt Ford truck production) caused Jeep to do this steel "performance" hood on more of the vehicles they're building.

Seems reasonable - change direction where possible.

Can't do anything about our aluminum doors and tailgate, but if you have another hood to quickly switch to - that's something.

 

[cc1999]

Based on the redacted clues about the Jan 2026 Duck drop, there is no chance of confirmation of V8 Gladiator till Feb 12th 2026 at the earliest. The Jan 2026 Duck clearly seems to be another Wrangler package of some sort.

Now that I spotted these Ducks, they seem to be spelling out more clues about the Feb drop also being another Wrangler pkg possibly another military inspired version. If that is true we are now talking about the March drop before we have a chance of seeing a V8 Gladiator.

 

[WilldWilly]

Just put the 5.7 in the Gladiator. Enough already. Give it a 6k tow rating and be done with it. Who the hell is towing 7k with a gladiator anyways. If you need to tow that much, you should have purchased a full-size truck, not max out a medium truck. All of this bla bla bla nonsense on cooling is just that. Bla bla bla. If jeep wanted to put a v8 in a gladiator, they would found a way. If they can put a 6.4 in the wrangler, they can certainly put a 5.7 or 6.4 in the gladiator. Hopefully if they do, it is not just some limited-edition horse crap with a price tag twice that of a V6 version, but a few thousand dollar upgrade to the torque lacking 3.6.

 

[cc1999]

I doubt I ever tow much of anything with it, I still want it to be a 392 V8, just because I want it that way. LOL .

 

[ChrisNLA]

Based on the redacted clues about the Jan 2026 Duck drop, there is no chance of confirmation of V8 Gladiator till Feb 12th 2026 at the earliest. The Jan 2026 Duck clearly seems to be another Wrangler package of some sort.

Now that I spotted these Ducks, they seem to be spelling out more clues about the Feb drop also being another Wrangler pkg possibly another military inspired version. If that is true we are now talking about the March drop before we have a chance of seeing a V8 Gladiator.

None of the 12 for 12 drops are Gladiators. It's a Wrangler specific program.

 

[RubiNewbCB]

Based on the redacted clues about the Jan 2026 Duck drop, there is no chance of confirmation of V8 Gladiator till Feb 12th 2026 at the earliest. The Jan 2026 Duck clearly seems to be another Wrangler package of some sort.

Now that I spotted these Ducks, they seem to be spelling out more clues about the Feb drop also being another Wrangler pkg possibly another military inspired version. If that is true we are now talking about the March drop before we have a chance of seeing a V8 Gladiator.

Just thinking out loud here...
I wonder if the First 6 Drops are Wrangler based and the 2nd 6 will be Gladiator based, to allow for production line changes?

 

[RubiNewbCB]

Just put the 5.7 in the Gladiator. Enough already. Give it a 6k tow rating and be done with it. Who the hell is towing 7k with a gladiator anyways. If you need to tow that much, you should have purchased a full-size truck, not max out a medium truck. All of this bla bla bla nonsense on cooling is just that. Bla bla bla. If jeep wanted to put a v8 in a gladiator, they would found a way. If they can put a 6.4 in the wrangler, they can certainly put a 5.7 or 6.4 in the gladiator. Hopefully if they do, it is not just some limited-edition horse crap with a price tag twice that of a V6 version, but a few thousand dollar upgrade to the torque lacking 3.6.

Dodge managed to put the 5.9 and 4.7 in the 2nd Gen Dakota and 1st gen Durango, with that little grill area. It can be done in a JT.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Just thinking out loud here...
I wonder if the First 6 Drops are Wrangler based and the 2nd 6 will be Gladiator based, to allow for production line changes?

Not unless Wrangler is another word for Gladiator.

 

[WilldWilly]

Good thing Jeep listens to its customers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Not unless Wrangler is another word for Gladiator.

Who here reads stuff anyway, or pays attention to facts? Appears from several of the last posts - no one.
Heck that thread about the "and you will win a bed mat" bit - of 2 pages of posts - ONE (1) person followed their directions - just ONE!

Reading and reading comprehension - do they even exist?
The blah blah blah bit about cooling and such - what a crock of horse hockey.

 

[4-Low]

Just put the 5.7 in the Gladiator. Enough already. Give it a 6k tow rating and be done with it. Who the hell is towing 7k with a gladiator anyways. If you need to tow that much, you should have purchased a full-size truck, not max out a medium truck. All of this bla bla bla nonsense on cooling is just that. Bla bla bla. If jeep wanted to put a v8 in a gladiator, they would found a way. If they can put a 6.4 in the wrangler, they can certainly put a 5.7 or 6.4 in the gladiator. Hopefully if they do, it is not just some limited-edition horse crap with a price tag twice that of a V6 version, but a few thousand dollar upgrade to the torque lacking 3.6.

Dodge managed to put the 5.9 and 4.7 in the 2nd Gen Dakota and 1st gen Durango, with that little grill area. It can be done in a JT.

*Raises hand* I do! As soon as my 2020 Max Tow JT was out of break-in period it had 7k behind it. I bought a truck because I wanted a Jeep and needed a truck.

The difference between the JL and JT is that use case is totally different. JL has always had a 3,500 lb. tow rating (until the 2024-2026 Rubicon got the full floating axle and 5k towing). It's a whole lot easier to meet a 3,500 lb. target than it is a 7,700 lb. target, especially when they're using an actual SAE criteria now to rate them properly.

The difference between 2nd Gen Dakota and JT is that the Dakota had 1,200 lbs. less rated towing capacity, it had more space under the hood, the engines used back then were weak, and SAE J2807 didn't exist.

In today's world where these automakers are using J2807 to present a fair, unbiased playing field and all of Jeep's competitors are producing midsize trucks with 7,000+ lbs. of tow rating, Jeep really must stay strong with Gladiator specs. I think it's very important for them.

Like I said, IF they do put the 5.7 in the JT and upcharge less than $5k for it, I'll be first in line. I think it would be amazing. But I don't see it happening.

 

[Pismo61]

Reading and reading comprehension,Ive always had an issue with that.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Reading and reading comprehension,Ive always had an issue with that.

I think John Lennon wrote something like -

"Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see "

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