Auburn
Hills - Helping to ease the upcoming holiday
mail load, the Chrysler Group introduces the new 2003 Jeep®
Wrangler right-hand-drive Postal Unit available beginning
December 2002.
"Jeep is the ultimate utilitarian vehicle. When Jeep
returned from WWII, it went immediately into government
agricultural and postal services. Jeep Wrangler returns
to this unique postal market because it demands capability
and versatility. As an off-road, four-wheel drive vehicle,
Jeep Wrangler can handle the weather and the rough terrain,
while still being fun to drive," said Jeff Bell- Vice
President Jeep, DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
Available
to letter carriers everywhere, the reintroduction of the
Postal Jeep is welcome back to this historic segment. The
Jeep Dispatcher (DJ3A) was the first Jeep vehicle built
for the U.S. Postal service. Based on the Jeep Universal
(CJ3A) introduced in 1949, the Jeep Dispatcher was built
from 1955-64 and was equipped with a flat four engine to
cut costs. The two-wheel drive Jeep Dispatcher featured
a hard top and sliding doors.
The
second mail Jeep Dispatcher (DJ5) model, produced from 1965-83,
was based on the Jeep CJ5, which endured as a popular vehicle
with improvements in power, axles, transmission and seating
comfort. Jeep CJ5's exterior styling also featured a rounded
body contour.
Prior
to the 2003 Jeep Wrangler right-hand-drive announcement,
the last Jeep to be sold in the postal segment was the 2001
Jeep Cherokee, which is now discontinued. Jeep 4X4 vehicles
are favored by rural letter carriers throughout the country.
While
sporting the same signature Jeep grille and round headlamps,
as the historic postal Jeep models, the new 2003 Jeep Wrangler
has some exterior differences. The Wrangler Postal Unit
is a hard top with full metal doors and roll up windows
to keep the mail secured, while the interior has a rear
removable seat which creates ample space for bulk mail and
packages.
Other
new standard features of the 2003 Jeep Wrangler Postal Unit
include the interior with front cloth seats and dual easy
access as well as a flush-mounted AM/FM cassette radio with
four speakers. Exterior features a Dana 44 heavy-duty rear
axles with Trac-LokTM, P215/75R15 Wrangler all-terrain tires,
full-face wheels and a full-size spare tire.
Manufacturer's
suggested retail price (MSRP) is $20,253 excluding destination
$610. This 4.0-liter automatic Jeep Wrangler Postal Unit
will be available in all ten colors.