Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Climbs Highest
Volcano on Earth and Sets New Altitude World Record
Seventy years after the first man
climbed the world’s highest volcano, Ojos del Salado in Chile,
two Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited vehicles set a new world record by
climbing 6,646 meters (21,804 feet) to the volcano’s rim. The
achievement, certified by Guinness World Records™, is not one
that is likely to be easily beaten.
Others tried, but only the
“go anywhere, do anything” Jeep vehicles could make it to the
top of the volcano. It is the second highest mountain in the
Western Hemisphere (6,892 meters / 22,597 feet), and now dubbed
the “highest parking lot in the world”. Jeep parking only, of
course.
.
.
Over five exhausting days in March, the
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited vehicles carried a team from Extrem
Events (Germany), led by Mattias Jeschke, from the base of the
inhospitable volcano in the Chilean Andes to the highest point
that a four-wheeled vehicle has traveled.
“This was exactly the challenge to
separate the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited from all other 4x4
vehicles. A climb like this in not just off-road, but extreme
conditions, is a testament to the performance of the vehicle’s
powertrain, suspension and overall quality. We are very proud
that Wrangler Unlimited was the first vehicle to be able to
complete such a rigorous challenge, and believe that it really
does set the vehicle apart from its competition,” said George
Murphy, Chrysler Group Senior Vice President of Global
Marketing.
During the trip, the team endured
hurricane-strength winds, temperatures that reached minus 30 degrees
Centigrade (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit) and the thin air of such high
altitudes, as it maneuvered over malicious glaciers, fissured rock
cliffs and volcanic sand. The last stretch of the climb was the most
grueling. Both Wrangler Unlimited vehicles had to cross a glacier, parts
of which were so smooth that any travel by foot required spiked shoes.
At the far end was the glacier field, a fissured ice area strewn with
razor sharp snow penitents. It was here that the vehicle’s 3.8L V-6
engine and Goodyear’s MT/R tires proved their true capability, and made
the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited the first vehicle to ever cross the Ojos del
Salado glacier.
After reaching the initial goal, to
surpass 6,500 meters, just beyond the glacier, the team
continued to drive on and pushed forward until there was nowhere
left to drive. “Unbelievable, tremendous, phenomenal,” was the
description from team leader, Jeschke, after reaching the
plateau at the end of the summit. “The Wranglers are
unbeatable.”
The two Wrangler Unlimited vehicles
that completed this challenge were standard equipment Rubicon
models. In addition to the standard equipment, both vehicles
were fitted with Goodyear MT/R tires, electronic altitude
measuring technology and winches.
Featuring a one-of-a-kind, four-door open-air
design, the all-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited offers even more comfort,
space, versatility and open-air options than the all-new Wrangler. With
room for five adult passengers – a Wrangler first – and the most cargo
space ever offered in a Wrangler, the Wrangler Unlimited combines
class-leading off-road capability with everyday practicality.
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited expands the Jeep
experience and core values to a broader range of customers who have
always wanted a Wrangler, but also needed more space and versatility.
Outside North America, two engine options are available, an all-new
2.8-litre common-rail turbo diesel engine as well as a new 3.8-litre V-6
petrol engine. The Wrangler is available in both left- and right-hand
drive. With solid axles, removable doors, exposed hinges, a fold-down
windscreen and innovative removable and convertible tops, Wrangler
retains the brand’s coveted core values of freedom, adventure, mastery
and authenticity.
