The Gladiator hasn't eve arrived in dealerships yet, but there's already talk that there will be a high-performance version to battle the Raptor. Personally, I think this is a no brainer, and jeep will sell as many of them as it can crank out. I think the only real question is how long it'll take to be announced. What do you think?

 

Haha! I dig the vent in the fender for... Mud?

 

Well, I see a coil over in there, so that's headed in the right direction...

 

Honestly, I think this is probably a done deal already. I mean, why wouldn't they do it?

 

Probably to cool the brakes! Ha ha ha!

 

I doubt it is functional, but would definitely be a mud catcher.

 

So I just read through the Gladiator forum and all the speculation. It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect, the renders are neat lookin though. That image above was made out of this Sandstorm concept where the fender vents also probably did nothing. I think they actually look pretty neat, but something in my brain knows it's just punching holes for the fun of it. I have a PSC hood louver on the JK but at least I can pretend like that's helping with engine temps. Here's the Sandstorm:

 

Hard to compare them I think. SFA vd IFS. Im a ford guy but never really like the raptor. Too big and not my style of wheeling.