When a brand launches a major new optional feature, it is not uncommon to release a special edition as the flagship for that option. Those usually get special names, but it can be hard to come up with special names. It would be much easier to simply call, say, a Jeep Gladiator that’s launching optional 35-inch tires something straightforward, like … “Jeep Gladiator 35-Inch Tire Launch Edition.“
Jeep, as you might have guessed by now, has decided to do just that. The name might border on the absurd, but the 35-inch tires are a huge get for Gladiator buyers. Jeep calls it “one of the most requested upgrades among Gladiator owners,” and it’s one that is a surprise to see available from the factory in any capacity.
Massive rubber is a common modification made by off-roaders looking to add more capability to their rigs, but rubber of this size comes with on-road hits to comfort and efficiency that many automakers would be unwilling to offer even on a product like the Gladiator that already sacrifices those things in the name of rock-crawling potential. Yet going forward, Jeep is bucking that trend by offering 35-inch tires from the factory on Willys, Rubicon, and Rubicon X trim levels.
The tires are paired with a one-inch lift, a 4.56 final drive ratio, Dana heavy-duty axles, and what Jeep describes as “performance brakes.” The result is an increase to 12.9 inches of ride height and new approach, breakover, and departure angles of 46.7, 23.3, and 26.7 degrees.
The 35-Inch Tire Launch Edition celebrates the new option with a unique, limited-run trim level. Jeep does not say just how many Gladiator 35-Inch Tire Launch Editions it plans to build, but it does say that these models will get unique bronze accents throughout the car.
