Happy ‘Kamping’
By Dylan Afuang
THICK TREES abound in the sprawl of the resort that offers a near-panoramic view of Caliraya Lake in Laguna, which glimmers from the sunlight. The harsh light and summer heat barely pierce through the shade, hardly disrupting the breeze of cool and fresh air within it.
This idyllic lakeside resort was the venue of Jeep Kamp 2024, an overnight camping trip during which motoring journalists and content creators, through the Jeep Wrangler 4-Door Sport, experienced being a local owner of an SUV made by the American brand.
Inchcape Philippines, distributor of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram Trucks in the country, staged the journey to introduce the newly launched, P4.79-million Sport model. This carries the styling and equipment updates the car maker brought to its legacy off-road SUV model.
Event participants hustled the rugged Wrangler Sport along the national highways and twisties of Rizal and Laguna towns. At their destination, they were given lessons on setting up tents, the option of staying at the resort’s cottages, a chance to explore the Cavinti Cave at the nearby Sierra Madre mountain, and feast on barbecue while surrounded by nature.
Before the trip to Kaliraya SurfKamp began at the umbrella brands’ showroom in Greenhills, San Juan, Inchcape Philippines Assistant Vice-President for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Valerie Yu-Leong underscored: “The Jeep Kamp is our way of rediscovering the untamed spirit of adventure, of redefining what it means to be a freedom-loving Jeep enthusiast.”
A release from the company reiterated, “For Jeep owners who would like to experience Jeep Kamp themselves, simply give Kaliraya SurfKamp a call and ask about the Jeep Kamp package.”
The Wrangler Sport, meanwhile, now serves as the model’s entry-level variant for the Philippine market. According to Inchcape Product Planning Manager Amir Corpus, the Sport, with its blend of convenience and off-road features, is a Wrangler suited for both daily-driving and weekend adventures.
The Sport wears the nameplate’s “JL” generation styling updates. Chief among these are black details on the brand-signature seven-slot grille and blacked-out badges. This particular model also rolls on gray 17-inch alloys wrapped in all-terrain tires.
Further identifying the externally updated SUV are an integrated window antenna and black hardtop panels — which, like the vehicle’s doors, can be removed. These removable panels give the SUV’s occupants a full open-air experience and are a hallmark Wrangler feature.
The first 50 Wrangler Sport customers here in the Philippines can swap their units’ conventional doors with window-less “half-door” options, Inchcape Philippines announced.
Inside, a new 12.5-inch infotainment screen operating with the brand’s Uconnect 5 system is the notable upgrade. The system promises faster response speeds, enables wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, and courses audio through an Alpine nine-speaker setup.
Powering the Wrangler Sport is a two-liter, turbo gasoline unit that dispatches 268hp and 400Nm of torque to a four-wheel drive (4WD) system through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
With its Selec-Trac 4WD system, the Wrangler boasts superior capabilities for various terrain for which Jeep is renowned. The system includes locking differentials on its front and rear axles, and skid plates protecting its transmission, transfer case, and fuel tank from rough surfaces.
New safety features for the nameplate, as seen in the Sport model, include adaptive cruise control and side curtain air bags.
