When it comes to offroad vehicles, few manufacturers have the staying power and impact as the original Jeep. So when something new comes out of their factories, like say their 2020 midsize Gladiator pickup truck, people tend to jump at the chance to drive one – we’re anxious to do so here. So, when Jeep released a video showing how these dirt-kickers are produced, gotta admit, we were a bit excited.
Jeep Gladiator Assembly Line
Built in the south plant of the Toledo Assembly Complex which has been making Jeeps since the 1940s, the 2020 Gladiator is the company’s first pickup truck since the ultra-hip Comanche was discontinued in 1992. In fact, if you’re a Jeep fan, you may have had a double take when a Gladiator drove by thinking it was a new Comanche. Here’s the video. Tell us what you first notice about it.
Ahhhh, the sound of the factory floor. Notice anything interesting? It details every step of the process to create this magnificent vehicle. From the fitting of the chassis to the installation of the electronics and engine, you can see how man and machine each play an integral part in the assembly.
Even if you’re someone who doesn’t know much about cars, you can still appreciate the slew of mechanical arms working in unison to install, fit, and paint the Gladiator. When the machines have done their part, and some… more gentle attention is needed, humans step in to lend a hand, often with the aid of a robot counterpart.
What truly stands out, especially if you compare this assembly line to assembly lines of yester-year is the amount of work that is done by robots. Yet, while much of the work is done by robots, humans are there for the finer installations of inner panels, quality checks, and checks of the suspension and engine. A lot of it may be done on a computer but there is always someone physically present at each step of the process.
Once the inner workings are all checked and running, the frame is installed, the seats set in, and a new set of wheels fitted before it is driven out into the wild.
Production of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator began in Q1 of 2019 with the current year model available for configuration on the jeep.com website. Is it your favorite Jeep to date? I’ve gotta admit, the build video makes me like it even more.
