Jeep Wrangler JK ‘Weekender’ inspired by Jeep owners

GURNEE, Ill. | This Jeep Wrangler JK was designed to compete in a civilized market. Toyota FJ and Hummer H3 have made comfort a selling point. The new JK certainly provided additional creature comforts and with four doors, could actually be the family vehicle of choice. What is the traditional Jeep enthusiast to think? That is the question posed by RealWheels Corp. when it set out to add a little savagery to the Jeep JK.

Its Jeep Wrangler JK “Weekender” Project Vehicle was created in conjunction with the launch of the new RealWheels Off-Road series of Jeep Wrangler accessories. The focus was to build the JK 4-door as a capable daily driver, making sure it is also ready for an active weekend of family adventures and serious off-road fun. The RealWheels Corp. Project Vehicle Team accepted e-mail and call in suggestions from Jeep Forum and JK Forum members regarding the build. Based on the suggestions and input received, some of the best names in the business were contacted for inclusion in the project.

“This Jeep project was interesting,” said Jhan Dolphin, RWC vice president of sales and marketing,. “Most of the input was very helpful, and gave our team a good indication of what Jeep owners were really looking for. An amazing amount of emails came in, requesting that we complete an engine swap, but we tried to keep the modifications to the level that most people could accomplish at home, in their own garage.”

RealWheels Corp. has been creating innovative vehicle enhancements for over 25 years, and the new 4-door Jeep Wrangler parts make up one of their most successful lines. “We love being involved with the Jeep community,” Mr. Dolphin said. “We make over 50 different enhancement products for the Wrangler, and right now our sales for bright stainless accessories is almost dead-even with our black powder-coated line. The Jeep has always been one of America’s favorite vehicles to accessorize, and we don’t see any sign of the business slowing down right now.”

The team is committed to the new product line and has plans to attend many Jeep enthusiast gatherings throughout the next year. “We’ve got to go out and get this thing dirty!” Mr. Dolphin said. “It’s time to get out there and meet the people that offered their suggestions, and helped create this thing.”

• For more information about the Jeep Wrangler JK “Weekender” and the complete line of RealWheels Jeep JK parts, visit www.realwheels.com.