It was early in Jeep CEO Christian Meunier’s tenure when the brand was prepping the powerful Wrangler Rubicon 392 that would bring a new level of performance to the nameplate with a Hemi V-8 engine.
The inaugural 2021 model carried a hefty $74,995 price tag when — in line with Wrangler tradition — it debuted with no power-adjustable seat offering. Meunier, who came to Jeep from the luxury world as former global president of Infiniti, found that surprising.
Wrangler buyers were used to forgoing creature comforts to get their hands on the trail cruiser, and if Jeep ever decided to add the amenity, engineers would have to figure out how to keep power seats functional in off-road sessions that could involve water fording.
Despite the challenge it posed, Meunier wanted to deliver power seats to Jeep customers, but he said there was pushback.
“It’s a pretty pricey vehicle and I said, ‘We don’t have power seats,’ and for me, it was shocking,” Meunier told Automotive News. “The reason was right: Water fording is putting a lot of pressure on engineering to seal everything to make it possible.”
But at the end of the day, with Jeep North America chief Jim Morrison’s support, “we made it happen,” Meunier said. “We know how to seal for a 4xe battery because the 4xe has a water fording of 34 inches, so there is no reason for not having power seats in the car.”
The refreshed 2024 Jeep Wrangler offers power front seats for the first time in higher trim level vehicles. Introducing the option took years, but expect Jeep to move faster with advancements now that rival Ford Bronco is on its heels.
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