Cars with cult followings often have a thriving trade in aftermarket customization, and the Jeep Wrangler may well be the car with the biggest cult following. Dozens of companies manufacturer rollbars, lighting packages, running boards, and other tweaks that allow Wrangler owners to make their ride unique. The 2021 Wrangler starts at an MSRP of $28,315, but some Wrangler shoppers budget thousands of additional dollars to customize their off-roaders. Jeep itself now plans to compete for that money. The company has announced plans to open its own aftermarket tuner shop, customizing new 4x4s near the Toledo, Ohio factory that builds them.
According to the Toledo Blade, Jeep has purchased a site for the project from the city of Toledo, paying just one dollar for the property. The company plans to invest $23 million and employ about 300 people modifying Jeep vehicles at the facility. Jeep hasn’t officially said which models it plans to customize at the operation, but we’d be surprised if Wranglers and the Wrangler-derived Gladiator pickup didn’t make up most of the shop’s work.
Jeep hasn’t revealed what modifications it plans to offer customers. It’s not unusual for buyers to seek out larger tires, custom running boards, rollbar-mounted lights, bull bar additions to front bumpers, and similar off-road enhancements to their Wranglers. We’ll bring more details when the company offers them
