Every year we see a plethora of new vehicles come on to the market. Many of them don’t quite make the cut, based on sluggish sales, and only last a few years. Others come in to compete with a specific class of vehicles but end up not even fitting in that class creating a class of their own or having to compete in a higher or lower class of vehicle. One vehicle that has long been basically in its own class has been the Jeep Wrangler. Other than the FJ Cruiser, the Wrangler has not had any real competition during its long and historic run.

GMC seems to be aiming its bullets toward the Wrangler to create a new and profitable vehicle that would have a short wheel base and be a dynamic off roader, like the Wrangler. Why would GMC want to go after the Wrangler? Simple, the market loves the Wrangler, it has been a cash cow for Jeep for decades and with such a small amount of competition, having something else to choose would allow GMC to pull some market share from Jeep in its quest to build a better version of the Wrangler.

This will certainly be a difficult quest as the Wrangler ends up being a vehicle that has been loved by many for several generations. With the new Colorado/Canyon platform, GMC may have exactly what it needs to compete against the Wrangler. By shortening the wheelbase of this truck series and creating a fantastic off road package they will have what is needed. GMC already has the engine lineup that would make the Wrangler nervous with an inline four-cylinder, a V6 and soon a turbo diesel to power these mid-sized and amazing trucks.

GMC is one of the brands from GM that survived the bankruptcy due to being a highly recognized and appreciated brand name. Consumers generally will pay a few thousand more for the GMC logo over the Chevrolet logo even though the vehicles are basically the same. This give thought to a model run that would rival the S-10/Blazer and S-15/Jimmy of years past, which was a formidable pair for many years against the likes of the Wrangler. Starting with a GMC model and then offering a Chevrolet model will be a great marketing decision for GM, who will gain the loyalty of their higher end consumers first.

Even though this idea is simply in concept mode, the simplicity of moving from the mid-sized truck to a small SUV that will make the Wrangler shake in its oversized rubber shoes is a concept that will only make the market better. The Wrangler needs some competition in order to toughen it up and bring back the SUV that gained such a cult following as well as needing to continually improve upon itself. If this concept makes it to production, the story lines will be fierce and this will prove to be a very entertaining show to watch; anyone got popcorn to enjoy watching this unfold?