Photographers captured images today of a 2018 Jeep Wrangler prototype testing, and it appears to be sporting a rumored new three-piece hardtop.

Although the current Wrangler already has a three-piece hardtop, but this new option spotted on this four-door Wrangler is said to offer the removal of either the front two panels or all of the roof panels while keeping some of the pillars in place. Basically, this new roof option would allow for more options for open-air driving.

The other roof options rumored on the new Wrangler include a hard glass roof, a retractable fabric roof and the possible deletion of the basic folding soft-top.

There are reports of a significant weight reductions on the next-generation Wrangler, aided by the addition of more aluminum in the mechanical details, although we are told the body will still mostly be made of steel.

Powertrains slotted for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler include a new 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder (dubbed the Hurricane) to provide a more fuel-efficient gasoline engine option. The Pentastar V6 and eight-speed automatic will be the mainstream powertrain, although the big news will be a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel for North America and likely global markets. A hybrid powertrain is also rumored, but a six-speed manual is confirmed to be available.

We expect to see the new Wrangler formally unveiled in the coming months.

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