Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator may get Gorilla Glass windshield as an option, report says
Jeep has offered the extra-tough windshields as replacement parts in the past, but not as an option.
Soon Jeep buyers may be able to get an extra-tough windshield for their hard-core off-road vehicles.
In 2018 we wrote a story about how Mopar (the official factory parts brand for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram) offered windshields for the Jeep Wrangler made from Corning's Gorilla Glass -- aka the stuff that your phone screen is probably made of. It was a fantastic idea then, and now, according to a report Sunday by Mopar Insiders, the Jeep Gladiator pickup is getting in on the fun.
You might wonder why someone would want a Gorilla Glass windshield, given that regular laminated glass windshields are already pretty tough, and the answer has a lot to do with how Jeeps are driven and the design of their windshields.
The Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator designs both feature relatively upright, flat windshields, which means that when stones hit the windshield they are less likely to graze off, more likely to impact dead-on and start a crack or a chip. Further, many Jeep owners drive their Wranglers and Gladiators off-road, making impacts on the windshield more likely.
A Gorilla Glass windshield won't do much for the design part of the problem, but because it's extra-tough, it's more resistant to chipping and cracking than standard glass. Mopar has also gone the extra mile to spec these Gorilla Glass windshields with a thick outer layer of glass to help resist damage even further.
Previously, the Gorilla Glass windshields were only available as replacements, but now it's looking like Jeep will offer them as a factory option on new Wranglers and Gladiators. There is a slight catch, though, and that is that it'll only be available on Willys, Sahara and Rubicon Wranglers and on Willys, Overland, Mojave and Rubicon Gladiators.
We contacted Jeep for official confirmation but didn't hear back in time for publication.
