2018 Jeep Wrangler revealed by owner's manual

Jeep has accidentally published the 2018 Wrangler's owner's manual on its official Canadian website, prematurely revealing the eagerly anticipated off-road SUV ahead of its official launch at the LA motor show in November.

Luckily, before the security gaffe was spotted, jlwranglerforums.com downloaded the 600-plus page manual before it was removed.

As security leaks go, this was a biggie, as the hundreds of pages of technical info, originally aimed at future owners, spilled the beans on the all-new SUV and provided our first glimpse of a Wrangler without its camo.

The big change over the outgoing model is moving both the side lights and indicators into the trailing edge of the front guards.

The boxy look lives on, but the windscreen now looks fractionally more rakish to improve on the old car's brick-like aerodynamics.

Mechanically, the headline news is that -- at least initially -- a diesel will not be available.

Instead, owners will be able to choose from a turbocharged 2.0-litre and the naturally aspirated 3.6-litre 'Pentastar' V6.

A 3.0-litre V6 diesel is expected, but that engine will arrive in the second half of 2018 at the earliest.

Power outputs for both petrol engines aren't listed but the manual two-door Wrangler can tow up to 907kg while the four-door can haul up to 1587kg.

Like the current car, the front windscreen can be folded forward and both the front and rear doors can also be removed but some enthusiasts are already angry the new Power Top is not removable.

Instead, the Jeep's roof can be lowered at speeds of up to 60mph (97km/h), while the rear windows can be removed and put in storage bins.

Other new updates over the old car include the introduction of a larger 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system and a customisable central instrument panel that's flanked by a pair of regular analogue dials.

New tech includes an off-road monitor that displays the lockable axles, steering angles, pitch, roll angles and displays whether or not the anti-roll bars are connected.

Notable omissions on the latest Wrangler JL is a lack of curtain airbags, although new knee bags have been introduced.

The biggest improvement in safety comes from the new electronic driver aids like autonomous emergency braking and 'Rain Brake Assist', which is said to reduce stopping distance in wet conditions.

On sale shortly after the LA show in the US, the new Wrangler is expected Down Under early next year.

More details are expected in the build-up to its reveal.