New grip on Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler has made a living on its serious off-road ability, forgoing many creature comforts in the pursuit of a rugged image.

But the American off-road car maker is now starting to make some serious changes to its iconic 4WD, having releasing a handful of images of the new 2011 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited.

Arriving in Australia in the first quarter of 2011, pricing and trim levels have not yet been confirmed for the new Wrangler, as production for the new vehicle began only last week at Chrysler's Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio.

Though the differences may be hard to spot from a few metres away, get a little closer and you'll notice an entirely new interior.

Boasting a modern looking dashpad, enhanced ergonomics, smoother edges throughout and improved cabin materials, plus steering wheel cruise and audio controls -- a first for the Wrangler -- the tough 4x4 will now be a lot easier to live with.

"The iconic Jeep Wrangler keeps getting better," says Mike Manley, President and CEO -- Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "While retaining unmatched, legendary capability, the 2011 Jeep Wrangler boasts an all-new interior that delivers a host of comfort, convenience and versatility features."

Some of those features include a new lockable console, an updated instrument panel and a redesigned centre stack. Higher quality materials have been added at major touch points – such as the door armrests and the steering wheel, the latter of which gets audio, cruise control and hands-free phone controls.

The 2011 Jeep Wrangler also benefits from improved rearward vision thanks to larger rear windows, and improved acoustic damping materials reduced outside noise, making the cabin a quieter place to be.

Other interior additions include the adoption of a USB interface as part of the Wrangler's new media centre, which also adds streaming Bluetooth audio.

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