2026 Jeep Gladiator Drops With Full Military Cosplay and Olive Green Wheels
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Jeep is kicking off production of the 2026 Gladiator pickup truck with a new throwback model: the Willys ’41. This homage to the Kaiser Jeep M715 series of military vehicles will likely just be the first of several “buzz models” Jeep has in store for the Gladiator. We’ve already seen Jeep do something similar with Wrangler, but unlike the dedicated 4×4, which already has 12 models planned out for 2026, the pickup will have to make do with just one for now—and no, it doesn’t have a Hemi.
The setup is cosmetic, but it is a nice look. The image Jeep shared is up top there, and shows the truck in Willys ’41 drab with matching wheels (included in the package). The announcement doesn’t say anything about that being the only color available, so you should be able to opt for something that pops a little more if you’re hoping to emulate some of the M715s that ended up in civilian service.
The rest of the spec is fairly straightforward. You get steel front and rear bumpers, a Mopar triple hoop grille guard, mud-terrain tires, and an interior finished in tan to match the olive drab wheels. The hood is sourced from the Mojave model for a nice little bonus.
Despite the lack of major updates, the ’26 Gladiator isn’t completely unchanged. Jeep overhauled the door hinge system to make it easier to remove them from the car if you so choose. The announcement didn’t elaborate on how, exactly, and what little we can see in photos provides no additional insight; we’ll have to wait to see this in person, I suppose.
Jeep is now also allowing customers to opt for upgraded all-terrains at the Sport S level, and two new colors are rotating in this year: Rein (the purple that has appeared all over the 2026 Stellantis lineup) and Goldilocks (not shown; Jeep says it will arrive later in the model year).
We haven’t forgotten Jeep’s tease of Hemi propulsion under the hood of the Gladiator, but we also haven’t heard any sort of official timeline for it either. Unlike Wrangler, which already came with the 392 under the hood, the Gladiator would still have to be re-engineered to accommodate a V8. Given the costs involved, we may see a third party partner step in to do the work; after all, Jeep may have a limited window to make money on a neutered EPA, and development takes time and resources the company may not be able to spare right now.
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Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories.
