The photos — which appear to have been taken recently by an employee in Chrysler's Wrangler plant at its Toledo Assembly Complex and posted on a public site accessed by The Blade — would mark the new models' first public appearance.

In its five-year business plan unveiled in November, Chrysler indicated that it intended to mark the Jeep brand's 70th anniversary in 2011 with commemorative models. The company also indicated it would refresh the Wrangler's interior this year, and its exterior in 2011. However, no images of the newly-styled vehicles have been released by the automaker.

The Wrangler will continue on its own off-road platform with no Fiat variations planned.

While future Jeep models may adopt some Fiat DNA in the name of fuel economy, the Wrangler will remain on its more durable body-on-frame architecture. Fiat says there are no plans to produce other models on the Wrangler platform, even within the Jeep family.
Although no new models are planned for the Wrangler’s platform, the Wrangler lineup could expand to include a few more models. Jeep boss Mike Manley admits that a Wrangler-based pickup truck is under consideration, as is a diesel powerplant for the U.S. market. However, Manley says neither variation is "imminent."

Calling all problem-solving, thrill-seeking, adventure-hunting, supers-sleuths. The Jeep® brand is offering you the chance to win an all-new 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander in the Jeep brand Tiki Hunt contest.

Three individual Jeep Tikis—Jeep Steel, Jeep Wave and Jeep Trail —have secretly been hidden in 3 locations within the Unites States. Look for and solve the clues released here as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Today’s clue is below, but get into the hunt now because the first contestant to solve the clues and find a Jeep Tiki wins an all-new 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander.

...an all-purpose truck that pays homage to the Kaiser M-715 truck. Based on a Jeep J8 four-door military vehicle, the Nukizer 715 gets a new front clip produced in carbon fiber, a wheelbase stretched to 124 inches from 116 inches...

The 2.8-liter four-cylinder VM Motori turbo-diesel used in the J8 platform was kept in the Nukizer’s DNA, but it was upgraded with a new tune to provide more horsepower and torque while being coupled to the factory four-speed automatic transmission. Weighing in at a moderately hefty 4,500 pounds, the Nukizer still felt nimble, and there was no seeming lack of power or torque coming from the diesel.

The appeal of the basic Jeep is visceral, profound, beyond explanation. Not even a Volkswagen Beetle is as instantly recognizable. Older Jeeps continue to be recycled through new bodies, new engines, giant wheels and tires, hard tops, soft tops, no tops. They become dune buggies, beach buggies, ball buggies on golf driving ranges, and windshield-down stump jumping go-to-hell cars. They do everything but die.

The Jeep® brand is broadening its vehicle lineup with the introduction of three new rugged, versatile and innovative vehicles that deliver classic Jeep design and capability.

The new 2010 Jeep Liberty Renegade boasts a new premium, rugged appearance with standard class-leading capability features, while the Jeep Wrangler lineup is expanded with unique limited-edition models - Jeep Wrangler Islander and Jeep Wrangler Mountain - that deliver high-impact visual appeal with outdoor fun-and-freedom themes.

"While clearly appealing to our core customers, these three new Jeep models will attract new customers to the Jeep dealer showroom," said Mike Manley, President and CEO - Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC.

"The new Liberty Renegade delivers renowned Jeep capability and an array of standard features in a stunning new rugged, premium design, while both Wrangler models expand the iconic anchor of the Jeep brand with unique, limited-edition versions that consumers have told us they want."

The new Jeep Liberty Renegade and Jeep Wrangler Islander edition are now available in Jeep showrooms. The Jeep Wrangler Mountain edition will be available in the second quarter of 2010.

It appears to be built on a military J8 chassis but has 37- or 38-inch BFG MTs, Dynatrac axles front and rear, an Advance Adapters Atlas transfer case, Hutchinson double beadlocks, a tuned 2.8L VM Motori diesel engine and some pretty sweet body mods. It's got styling from an the old Kaiser M-715. There's a real truck bed and a one-off grille and hood It also has a couple inches chopped out of the windshield and a full convertible fabric top.

But the removable hard-top version is much more popular than the soft top. Hard tops typically account for 70 percent of customer demand for Wranglers, but that number recently has lifted to 80 to 85 percent, Manley said.

The shortage of hard tops was caused by the bankruptcy of the original supplier, Meridian Automotive Systems Inc., which filed for Chapter 7 in August 2009. Continental Structural Plastics Inc. has since taken over the business.

Manley said Jeep will be offering customers a greater choice of hard-top options, including colored tops that match the body paint.