Jeep’s never-ending streak of special-edition Wranglers continues, but the latest edition won’t be sold in our market. The new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic Edition, which debuts at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, will only be offered in Europe.
Chrysler’s official press release says the Wrangler Arctic was inspired by the terrain found in its namesake land, as it provides the grueling and demanding environments the Wrangler was engineered to conquer.” Perhaps, but this go-anywhere, do-anything SUV isn’t given any specialized equipment that facilitates sub-zero travel; instead, the Arctic is essentially a spiffy dress-up kit for the Wrangler Sahara and Wrangler Unlimited Sahara.
Along with the unique ice blue paint, the Arctic Wrangler receives a few cosmetic touches inspired by the mythical yeti — in fact, the abominable snowman rears his head on the unique exterior badging, and leaves a footprint-shaped graphic on the driver’s front fender. Other exterior revisions include unique black 17-inch wheels and a matching gas cap cribbed from Mopar’s accessory catalog. Yeti touches continue within the Wrangler — not only are the Arctic logos embroidered into the front seats (which also receive unique cloth inserts), but also on the tachometer.
Arctic models are available in both two- and four-door form, and are available with either the gasoline-powered, 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 — a new offering for 2012 — or a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel I-4. Like the diesel engine, expect the entire Arctic Edition package to remain unattainable in the U.S. and Canada.
