2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

For the time being, however, there is no Hummer pickup and not many rivals to go up against a future Jeep pickup either. Altogether eight competitors

A Hummer H3-based pickup truck, which showed up in concept form last year, is expected to join the Hummer lineup and in so doing would pursue the same customer as Jeep's Gladiator. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

currently vie for compact to midsize light truck buyers, including the Chevy Colorado, Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Honda Ridgeline, Mitsubishi Raider (which incidentally is based on the Dakota), Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma. The fact that GM's Colorado and Canyon are basically the same truck with slightly modified front clips makes only seven competitors. The Honda Ridgeline, while a very good truck is a marginal player at best, and although the Mitsubishi Raider is also very well executed and better looking than many in the class, I'm not ready to bet the farm it's going to make much headway against the domestic players.

And the Gladiator, or whatever Jeep eventually calls it, would be a domesticplayer and by that readily accepted by the buying public as a real contender. Jeep could play off of its rich pickup truck history in its advertising campaign, which would not only sell lots of Gladiators but also bring

Jeep could play off of its rich pickup truck history in its advertising campaign, which would not only sell lots of Gladiators but also bring major attention to the brand itself. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada)

major attention to the brand itself, helping to sell TJs, Libertys, Grand Cherokees, and whatever else the brand is selling when the pickup truck is on the market. Really, it's such a no-brainer that the executives who run the world's most recognizable off-road nameplate would have to be asleep at the wheel not to take advantage.

Of course, DaimlerChrysler has already been caught napping with this brand, and needs to pick up its game and hit the market with a barrage of new Jeep products if only to keep up with its General Motors' built rival Hummer, "trail rated" Japanese competitors Nissan and Toyota, the former which now offers three 4x4 capable SUVs and two pickup trucks with equal off-road prowess, and the latter that not only offers a similar lineup of SUVs and pickup to Nissan, but will also soon come to market with a Land Cruiser-based compact off-roader with FJ40 cum Hummer styling cues - it should be a big hit.