Nope!!...that looks pretty much identical to the upcoming 2018 Jeep Compass (or Com-Patriot, as some have called it)...and Jeep will not want it's current flagship to be confused with a cheaper downmarket model...it will probably give the newly redesigned JGC is own identity, especially given that the Grand Wagoneer will available as well & slot above it.
Plus with the new Jeep Compass hitting the market before the next-gen JGC, it wouldn't be a smart move for them to imitate the design of a cheaper model...as they need to WOW the consumer public, not make them "Sigh!".
Jeep appears to to be giving each & every one of it's new upcoming models their own unique personality & identity.
So, good try...but nope...not even close, IMHO.
I believe they are going to play this one very close to the chest, until auto show time at least.
I was disappointed by how the re-freshed compass always looked like an early WK2. I hope they keep the product design language more differentiated. To me, the then-compass took alot of the class out of the WK2, which was resolved with the refresh.
The renegade is a great product in that it doesn't overly mimic other Jeep product available today. It has Wrangler DNA and yet it is clearly a playful compact CUV
Looks nothing more than a photoshop to me...and a bad one at that. Couldn't possibly be the next generation anyway as it has WK2 body panels with exception to the photoshopped sections.
If what I read elsewhere (sorry, can't recall exactly where) is correct, a new platform will be required as the Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee are supposedly to share that platform. That they are to share platforms was the stated reason the GW (and probably the GC as well) is being delayed. The WK2 platform apparently cannot support the GW in present form.
If I run across the article again I will post the link.
There will undoubtedly be engineering refinements relative to the overall platform that will help with things like supporting additional vehicle models, lighten the overall vehicle weight and enhance/renew from current. But I seriously doubt there will be a radical departure from the general look of the current generation which is one of the most popular vehicles sold. For me, the fact that the new Compass reflects the lines of the JGC supports that...they will certainly make some changes for MY19+ JGC, but I don't think there will be major surprises. The Alpar renderings seem to support that.
I certainly hope you are correct as I am late to the WK2 party but nonetheless hope to be in the new ride for a while. It would be nice to have a relatively current body style for a few extra years but I am not overly optimistic after having read this:
"2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee: What Will Be Changed
We haven’t seen any prototype yet, but our insider has managed to describe some of the important changes of the upcoming SUV. According to him, the 2019 Grand Cherokee is getting totally new styling. The exterior design will receive a big number of changes without any doubt. The front end will undergo an extensive redesign, so you can expect an all-new grille and headlights. Also, the carmaker might add more a bigger front bumper, as well as completely new and more streamlined hood. The interior will also get plenty of new stuff too. The current model is already very luxurious, but the successor will definitely get more premium materials and better technologies."
The wk3/WL will be built on the current platform but somewhat refined and upgraded. It will not be built on the "G" platform as previously believed. So don't look for too much of a radical change from what we have now.
Dang, that's nice - I kinda want one. Except I was owned by an Alfa once, in a previous life, and at one point it was in the shop waiting for parts for 14 months.
I just read an article on Allpar suggesting their may be a slightly revised WK2 for 2019 because the Alfa platform JGC may take 4-5 years before it's ready to go -
Maybe someone with inside knowledge can answer if the flip flopping is SM fault, or maybe the level below can't actually execute as fast as needed forcing him to keep course correcting........