The Jeep J8 is a military vehicle originally based on the Jeep Wrangler JK platform, but currently based on the Jeep Wrangler JL platform. It is also used by government agencies, security groups, peacekeepers, fire departments, underground mining and other industries requiring a heavy duty off-road vehicle. [1] The model was introduced at the Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) trade show on September 13, 2007. The J8 is assembled in Gibraltar by Africa Automotive Distribution Services Limited. AADS has developed and tested the entire range of J8's for deployment to various missions including logistical and front line operations.
Recently[ when? ], the J8 has been submitted as a replacement for the Toyota Tacoma, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, and HMMWV for the US Special Forces.[ citation needed ]
The J8 is equipped with larger brakes, axles and suspension components than the civilian version and can be upgraded further depending on the end user requirement. It has a base payload capacity of 1,339 kilograms (2,952 lb) which can be extended for Armoured or Utility variants. The Jeep J8 is powered by a range of petrol and diesel engines, but more commonly the 3 litre V6 diesel power units are used, the latter delivering 260 hp and 600Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Available in a number of different variants, the J8 can be produced as a patrol vehicle, utility vehicle, armoured vehicle, and ambulance. All J8 variants have a range of upgrade options to choose from and are designed to be easily transportable by rail, sea, fixed wing aircraft, helicopter (either inside a CH-47 or underslung).
The first J8 was first planned for assembly at a Chrysler joint-venture facility in Cairo, Egypt. [2] [3] On July 2, 2008, the production version of the Jeep J8 was unveiled at Euro Camp Jeep 2008, a customer event in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. [4]
On November 13, 2008, Chrysler LLC and Arab American Vehicles officially announced the manufacturing launch of the Jeep J8 at AAV's assembly plant in Cairo. [5]
The J8 is also assembled in Israel, by Automotive Industries Ltd (AIL) of Nazareth. It is locally badged Storm 3 , and will be supplied as a command vehicle to the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). A pair of production J8s was tested by Israeli web magazine Jeepolog.com journalists in April 2009. It was dubbed "probably best Jeep ever". A civilian version was apparently considered for the local Israeli market, but the idea was abandoned. [6]
In 2012 a variant of the Storm 3 was introduced by AIL in Israel under the name Storm 3 Type R. According to Israeli Blog Jeepolog.com, this is a door-less, no windshield Jeep J8, running on 35" tires, and sporting metal tube fenders and roll-cage. It is intended for special forces use in the border patrol, pursuit, and deep strike missions. [7]
American Expedition Vehicles, a Montana-based Jeep aftermarket parts producer, has struck a deal with Chrysler to sell 120 J8 component chassis in the US. These chassis are sold fully assembled but without an engine or transmission. This allows the customer to install or have installed either a 2.8L VM Turbodiesel with 339 lb.-ft. of torque (460 N • m) or a 5.7-liter V-8 Chrysler HEMI. The vehicle can then be legally registered as a "component vehicle". [8]
Since 2019 all J8s are produced by AADS using base vehicles manufactured in the US.
A special version of the J8 was developed in 2009 by Jeep and VM Motori for the underground mining market. This version is equipped with a version of the 2.8L VM turbodiesel that is approved by MSHA and CANMET for use in underground mines.
Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from their previous owner American Motors Corporation (AMC).
The Jeep Wrangler is a series of compact and mid-size four-wheel drive off-road SUVs manufactured by Jeep since 1986, and currently in its fourth generation. The Wrangler JL, the most recent generation, was unveiled in late 2017 and is produced at Jeep's Toledo Complex.
The Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Pickup or J-series is a series of full-size pickup trucks based on the large Jeep SJ (Wagoneer) platform, which was built and sold under numerous marques from 1962 until 1988. The Jeep Gladiator/Pickup design is noteworthy for remaining in production for more than 26 years on a single automobile platform generation. The Gladiator was the basis of the first post-war U.S. Army trucks designed to be civilian vehicles and adapted to military use. Numerous versions of the Jeep pickup were built in other markets, including Mexico by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) and Argentina by Industrias Kaiser Argentina (IKA).
VM Motori S.p.A. is an Italian diesel engine manufacturing company which is wholly owned by Stellantis. VM headquarters and main production facilities are located in Cento, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
Body-on-frame is a traditional motor vehicle construction method whereby a separate body or coach is mounted on a strong and relatively rigid vehicle frame or chassis that carries the powertrain and to which the wheels and their suspension, brakes, and steering are mounted. Whereas this was the original method of building automobiles, body-on-frame construction is now used mainly for pickup trucks, large SUVs, and heavy trucks.
Rock crawling is an extreme form of off-road driving using specialized vehicles ranging from stock to highly modified, to overcome obstacles. In rock crawling, drivers typically drive highly modified four-wheel-drive vehicles such as trucks, Jeeps, and "buggies" over very harsh terrain. Driving locations include boulders, mountain foothills, rock piles, mountain trails, etc.
The Truck, Utility, ¼-Ton, 4×4, or simply M151 was the successor to the Korean War M38 and M38A1 Jeep Light Utility Vehicles. The M151 had an integrated body design which offered a little more space than prior jeeps, and featured all-around independent suspension with coil springs. It has since been replaced by the larger AM General HMMWV in most utility roles in frontline use. With some M151A2 units still in U.S. military service in 1999, the M151 series achieved a longer run of service than that of the World War II/Korean War-era MB/GPW, M38, and M38A1 series combined.
SRT is an American badge of high-performance vehicles manufactured by Stellantis, mainly ones of the Dodge brand.
Arab American Vehicles is an Egyptian automobile manufacturer based in Cairo, Egypt.
The Willys MD, formally the M38A1 Truck, Utility: 1/4 ton, 4x4, or the G‑758 by its U.S. Army Standard Nomenclature supply catalog designation, was a four-wheel drive, military light utility vehicle, made by Willys and Willys Motors / Kaiser Jeep from 1952 to 1971. It was widely procured by the U.S. military from 1952 until 1957, after which U.S. purchases were reduced to the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marine version had minor differences from the units used by other branches.
The K131 Jeep, alternately K131 or KM420, is a light utility vehicle manufactured by Kia Motors in South Korea. The Kia K131 Jeep was designed and developed by Asia Motors, and it started being delivered to the South Korean army in 1997 as the replacement for its predecessor, the KM111 Jeep. Its civilian version is known as the Kia Retona, and was sold between 1998 and 2003. The 42 series vehicles are 1/4 ton capacity and are available in various configurations, serving since 1997. A toy version is sold as part of a larger construction toy set sold by Oxford Toy in South Korea.
The AIL Storm is an Israeli manufactured off-road vehicle and the workhorse of the Israeli Security Forces. The series of Jeep Wrangler based vehicles have been produced by Automotive Industries Ltd. in Upper Nazareth under license from Chrysler since 1990. The vehicles fill a number of military roles, including that of armoured Infantry Mobility Vehicle, and certain models are available for export as well as for the civilian market.
Automotive Industries Ltd. is an Israeli automaker and major supplier of the Israeli Security Forces.
The Jeep Wrangler YJ is the first generation of Jeep Wrangler four-wheel drive small off-road vehicles, rebadging and succeeding Jeep's CJ series, which was produced from 1944 to 1986. The first Wrangler was launched in 1986 and ran through 1995. Although the new Wrangler stood out from its CJ predecessors by its square headlights, its body was a direct evolution of the preceding CJ-7, and rode on the same wheelbase. The Wrangler featured an updated interior, offered more comfort and improved safety and handling, through a revised chassis that included a wider track and a slightly lower stance.
The Jeep Wrangler (TJ) is the second generation of the Jeep Wrangler off-road and sport utility vehicle. Introduced in 1996 as a 1997 model, the TJ reintroduced the circular headlights the classic Jeep models had been known for. For the 2004 model year, the long-wheelbase Unlimited model was introduced.
The Jeep Wrangler (JK) is the third generation of the Jeep Wrangler off-road vehicle. The Wrangler was unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the JK series 2007 Wrangler Unlimited at the 2006 New York Auto Show.
The Jankel group of companies were founded by founder Robert Jankel starting in 1955. In its early years, Jankel provided specialist design and manufacturing services to improve the performance of rally and racing cars. By 1970 Jankel had established Panther Westwinds and was manufacturing production sport cars and coach-built touring limousines for VIP customers. Jankel then diversified into coachwork for the likes of Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz, specialising in armoured, Head of State vehicles. In 1997 Jankel branched out into producing vehicles for the UK MoD and Police.
The EcoDiesel is a diesel engine used in Ram Trucks and Jeep vehicles from 2014 to 2023. Introduced by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the EcoDiesel name was used for two different engines. The first was the VM Motori L630, the North American variant of the A 630 DOHC 3.0L engine, which was used in the Ram 1500 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The other was a 3.0L inline-4 Iveco diesel engine used in the Ram ProMaster, the North American version of the Fiat Ducato. The ProMaster with the Iveco/EcoDiesel was available from 2014 to 2017.
The Jeep Gladiator is a mid-size pickup truck manufactured by the Jeep division of Stellantis North America. It was introduced at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 28, 2018, and went on sale in the spring of 2019 as a 2020 model. Based on the same platform as the Wrangler JL, the Gladiator is Jeep's first pickup truck since the Comanche was discontinued in 1992, although the very similar dual-cab AEV Brute was custom made using the Wrangler platform from 2013 until 2017 by American Expedition Vehicles under license.