My FH5 Log: Modern Warlords

What do the Jeep Wrangler JK and the GMC Hummer EV pickup have in common? They both starred in the Call of Duty games, specifically the Modern Warfare ones. Here at Forza Horizon 5, it's time to pay tribute to the offroaders that played an active role in one conflict zone after another.

The Jeep Wrangler JK and the GMC Hummer EV were proven to be warriors in their own right when they were given special roles in the Modern Warfare games and like most war veterans, let's give them the 21-gun salute they deserve. But first, let's get to know about these Modern Warfare rides.

Long before I took this car for a spin in Forza Motorsport 4 as a DLC car in 2012, the Jeep Wrangler JK popped up in 2011's Call of Duty MW3. In fact, there was a special version made in collaboration between Jeep and the Call of Duty games. Anyway, the updated version of the Jeep Wrangler JK is powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine that produces less than 290HP of power, making it capable of hitting a 0-60mph time of less than seven seconds.

It's a similar story for the GMC Hummer EV pickup, which I won from the Hot Season playlist of the Explore the Horizon series update in FH5. Before it made its appearance here, the GMC Hummer EV made a special appearance in 2022's Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. Anyway, the GMC Hummer EV features a three-motor powertrain generating 1,000hp of power and 15,591Nm of torque in its top-spec Edition 1 variant, capable of going from 0-60mph in three seconds. In addition, it features adaptive air suspension with available Extract Mode, a choice of 35 to 37-inch tires, underbody armor, Ultravision, removable Sky Panel roof sections, Watts to Freedom, MultiPro tailgate, and CrabWalk.

Having read the dossier on these offroaders, it's time to give these soldiers of Horizon the 21-gun salute they deserve and with that, it's off to the Badlands for a one-lap showdown between the two. However, as I'm conducting a duel between the two Modern Warfare machines, a sandstorm suddenly whipped in, giving the feeling of soldiers surviving through the sandstorm, raiding through enemy territory one after another.

As the sandstorm rages, both the Wrangler and the Hummer EV are locked and loaded for a one-lap showdown to determine which of these offroaders featured in the Modern Warfare games is the best. Live ammunition in 3...2...1...FIRE!

With their mission done, here are the results;

Wrangler - 3m06.303s

Hummer EV - 2m46.233s

If anyone said that Modern Warfare II is better than MW3, here's your answer. Anyway, it's a "winner-winner chicken dinner" for the GMC Hummer EV even when the weather's gone FUBAR. Get it?

Even outside the warzone, the Jeep Wrangler JK and the GMC Hummer EV pickup were proven to be warlords, especially in the Horizon Mexico after-hours. From the conflict zone to the racing stage, both battle-proven offroaders managed to flex their battle-scarred muscles and brave through the elements Mother Nature has thrown to the Horizon Mexico partygoers and that's how they roll, soldiers.

These offroaders really wish the mission never ends and you know what? Let them have it. They've earned their stars and stripes like real soldiers. This is their call of duty even outside the warzone.

Jeep Wrangler JL 4xe

On the inside and out, it looks exactly similar to the current Jeep Wrangler JL. It has the same rugged exterior design that most would call timeless, it has the same interior features as well as the same offroad capabilities as the normal JL but what's under the hood is a shocking revelation because for the first time ever, the Wrangler gets its first-ever PHEV model called the Wrangler 4xe, the silent off-roader that will keep environmentalists happy.

2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe

2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe

Priced twice as much as the normal Wrangler JL at the rate of 47,995 US Dollars plus additional costs, the first-ever Wrangler 4xe adds some environmentally-friendly approach to the world's dirtiest offroader. 

To differentiate the 4xe variant from a normal Wrangler JL, it's been given some blue highlights on the hood and bumpers, the Jeep and Trail Rated badge and the Rubicon livery on the side, and the interior. It dons the 4xe badge at the back, proof that it's the silent offroader you're looking for. Oh, and it's available exclusively in four-door.

The Wrangler 4xe's PHEV powertrain comprises a 2.0L l4 DOHC DI Turbo engine bolted to a 400v 17-kWh li-ion nickel manganese cobalt battery pack, two electric motors, engine-mounted motor generator unit, and ZF 8-speed AT. This powertrain delivers 375hp of power and 637Nm of torque with a range of an estimated 50MPGe and a range of 400 miles.

Taking advantage of this powertrain, the Wrangler 4xe features three modes of operation called E Select. You can either have the petrol engine do the talking, the electric motor, or both, but seriously, the electric part is what this offroader boasts the most for being silent because when in off-road-oriented Rubicon guise with Tru-Lok axles, 4:1 Rock-Track HD Full Time 4WD, and 4.10 rear axle ratio, it shows its true beauty of being a silent offroader. Getting itself dirty while being nice to the wilderness, that's the future we all believe in, almost.

In more civilized variants such as the Sahara and High Altitude, it's still not bad to enjoy its silent approach with near-good offroad credentials.

Is this the future of Jeep we all believe in? If so, then everyone's invited to give this silent offroader a try.

Photo: Jeep

Jeep Wrangler JL

The SUVs of this era are nothing more of a roadside litter in today's roads because while they look tough, they don't talk tough because of their softies all over it and while it's hard to fathom the popularity of crossovers in the age of the millennials, they're forgetting the major point of a true SUV; offroad capability. Right now, the most proper SUVs you can buy are the Land Cruiser and the Range Rover but if SUVs are not your type, pickups like the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado, but nothing is more so than the king of offroaders we know today, the Jeep Wrangler.

2018 Jeep Wrangler

When it comes to tackling all kinds of roads, nothing beats the original king of offroaders like the Jeep Wrangler and in this full model change, bearing the chassis code of JL, the all new Wrangler is all about withstanding the tests of time with its classic Wrangler looks while donning some modern stuff to make it well-suited in today's generation. Think of it like a young soldier from the 1940's who was frozen in time and woke up in the year 2018 with no idea what's going on.

While this is basically an all-new model, it's hard to differentiate it from all of the past Wranglers in history, including the Wrangler's predecessors that dates back to the Willys Jeep that was once used by Army soldiers during the war but later converted for public use post-war. Up front, the face is pretty much the same as the others in the same way the Porsche 911 is. It goes to show that even when they're evolving, they never grow up and it goes to the all-new Wrangler. It never matures and wants to play rough like it used to like a 70 year old man with the mental age of an 11-year-old.

2018 Jeep Wrangler interior

Speaking of all-new, Jeep gave the Wrangler JL a more modern interior that seems above average by car standards. Of course, you can expect the Uconnect with smarthphone connectivity, optional Alpine Premium Audio System, personalized gauge cluster, USB ports, push button start, a power outlet, heated seats, climate control, and much more, but in some models, you can expect a new Freedom Top hardtop with removable panels and a zipperless Sunrider soft top which is neat on an offroader but be warned because putting them off or back is like you do in a open-top supercar. It's complicated and it's already sunny by the time you put them back. It's time consuming but the new Wrangler has some solution to that in case the interior's gone wet; one-way drain valves in the floor. You won't get this in a Range Rover.

Apart from boot space that fits all kinds of jobs, the Wrangler JL has other stuff in store such as the Trail Rail system which is great for tailgating parties during NASCAR weekends, the Jeep Utility Grid, a hidden compartment to hid some important stuff, including a first-aid kit, and some other compartments to put some stuff. Now that's utilitarian done right.

2018 Jeep Wrangler

2018 Jeep Wrangler

Now, let's talk how handy the new Wrangler JL is, starting with the engine and at first, it's powered by a tried-and-tested 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine producing 285HP of power and 260lb-ft of torque and can be mated with either a 6-speed MT or an 8-speed AT. With this engine, a two-door Wrangler can tow a medium-sized caravan while the four-door one can tow a powerboat. Now that's science.

What about off-roading and while others completely forgot the memo, the Wrangler is still king in this capability and because it's the most capable Wrangler ever built, Jeep gave it a wide range of 4x4 systems such as Selec-Trac 4x4 System that can be engaged in either four-wheel or rear-wheel, Command-Trac with a 2.72:1 low range for rock crawling and neutral for available flat towing, and Rock-Trac with Tru-Lok electronic locking front and rear differentials and an electronic front sway bar disconnect. The Rubicon variant has the Rock-Trac 4x4 system so this would be useful to take shortcuts, something that your seven-figure supercar couldn't dare to go.

It maybe the king of offroaders but like those fake-u-vs of today, the Wrangler is annoyingly festooned with safety features because health and safety. It's got Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path Detection, Parkview Rear Back Up camera, Parksense Rear Park Assist system, Trailer Sway Control, and many other features.

The Wrangler JL starts at 26,995 US Dollars and it comes in different variants from Sport to Rubicon while the four-door Wrangler Unlimited comes with the exclusive Sahara variant with luxurious interior comforts. So, it maybe expensive than the previous JK model but it's cheaper to own than the Grand Cherokee and because this is a tough, go-anywhere Jeep Wrangler we're talking about, there are many reasons why the JL is the best Wrangler ever made or so they thought but there is one very good reason for that, it's better than those rubbish medium sized SUVs of today because the Wrangler still talks tough like a firebrand leader who was branded as an outlaw back then.

Photo: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Forza Horizon: The Jeep Wrangler accepted the invitation...

Trail-rated to enter the party

Our road-mauling friend, the Jeep Wrangler, just got an invitation to Forza Horizon courtesy of the November Bondurant Car Pack! Perfect, because some parts of Horizon involves on off-road, this is the perfect time to show how the Wrangler is capable of even though this has a Pentastar V6 engine on the front.

Glad that I drove one of these again...

The one with...Pentastar V6 engine

Upon trying out Forza Motorsport 4's May Top Gear Pack, I have even got a chance to drive something a bit more highbrow. Last time, I've already tried the new 300C SRT8 and I wouldn't blame anyone who bought either the new 300 SRT8 or the new Charger SRT8 because they are all epic but overall, it's a lot if you're on benefits. This one came from Chrysler Group LLC and this is more of a hardcore...or is it?

Ready to frag n00bs!

The Jeep Wrangler, the one with the new 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine, finally on Forza Motorsport 4. Time to put this Pentastar-powered Jeep to work!

Jeep Wrangler turned Top Gear Test Track
into Call of Duty...

This updated version of the Jeep Wrangler comes with the all new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 Engine which provides more fuel efficiency, improved on-road driving dynamics and refinement, more power and more torque. It is extremely quiet, constructed with a high-pressure, die-cast aluminum block fitted with cast-iron bore liners and aluminum cylinder heads. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine was made to meet global standards and it is Euro 5 compliant. 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds, 0-100mph in 20.6 seconds, and flatout in 129mph thanks to its manual transmission offered on this game. The 3.6-liter V-6 engine is manufactured at the Trenton engine plant in Michigan (USA).

When you're driving the Jeep Wrangler on Forza 4, you'll never know what's exactly is this Pentastar V6 engine just by hearing on it but in terms of driving feel, this situation is like this; if you're playing an XBOX 360 game that is too easy, you'll get bored. If you're playing an XBOX 360 game that is too hard, keep trying and when you get there, the results will be more rewarding. That's what this is. THIS IS CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS or CALL OF DUTY MW3!

For a thriller minute, this First Person Shooter beats Tetris but we can't just leave it there, can we? Let's deliver this one to the tamed racing driver. Some say he's getting obsessed with women wearing racing swimsuits and he's one of the Level 5 ESPers.

Okay, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon did it in 1:39.048, personal best for this car. No doubt about it, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine really made it a different kind of animal. Overall though, this updated Wrangler is more rewarding, just like that Call of Duty game. This Jeep was not made for n00bs but for vets who like to frag n00bs.

Jeep Wrangler frag the Top Gear Studio

Jeep Wrangler Modern Warfare 3

2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty MW3 Edition

After the success of the Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Black Ops edition, the collaboration between Jeep and the Call Of Duty series gets even further as the Jeep Wrangler Call Of Duty MW3 was unveiled.

To be released this November, the same month when COD: MW3 will be released, this special Jeep Wrangler will be available in 2-door and 4-door variants. It is available in two colors such as Black and Bright Silver and it includes special Call of Duty badges on the side view and a special Call of Duty spare tire cover.

We sure know that the 2012MY Jeep Wrangler will be featured on the incoming COD: MW3 video game this early November and this will be major PWNage to frag more noobs!

Further reading:

http://www.netcarshow.com/jeep/2012-wrangler_call_of_duty_mw3/

The Jeep - Call of Duty Black Ops Collaboration vehicle

Just moments before the latest Call of Duty game, Call of Duty Black Ops, comes out in stores this November, I never noticed that Chrysler Group, LLC and Activision prepped up a collaboration car made for Jeep enthusiasts and seasoned Call of Duty players alike.

This special edition Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Black Ops edition was made just for the fans of the hit shooter game that was a sensational hit worldwide.

I read that info on that site:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/19/2011-jeep-wrangler-call-of-duty-black-ops-edition/

This is cool! This special Wrangler will be the epitome among Call of Duty nerds everywhere! Never realized that macho and geek combined into one unique package!