You’ve probably heard of Gorilla Glass — but you might not know what, exactly, it is. For the record, Gorilla Glass is a chemically strengthened glass manufactured by Corning that is lightweight, almost scratchproof and damage-resistant — properties which have made it the screen material of choice for many smartphone manufacturers. Of course, those properties would make it a good fit for windscreens, as well; hence why Jeep Performance Parts has just announced it will use Gorilla Glass in replacement windshields for new JL Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator models.
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The replacement windshields from JPP, which were already available for previous-generation JK Wranglers, use a thin layer of Gorilla Glass as the inner ply paired with an outer ply that is 52% thicker than the standard Wrangler and Gladiator windshield. This results in a windshield that is still lightweight, but far more resistant to impacts than the typical Jeep windshield.
JPP designed the windshields to function like the stock windshields. Later this summer, buyers will be able to select windshields that work with the forward-facing camera, camera surround heater and embedded antenna add-ons. The JPP windshields also include the Jeep brand Easter Eggs found on the standard one if losing those was a concern.
Pricing for the JPP windshields with Gorilla Glass, which are backed by a two-year warranty,will range from $793 to $932, depending on the option compatibility required. That’s a bit of a hike over the Gorilla Glass windshields for the JK Wrangler, which cost $645. Still, the JPP windshields could be a compelling option for off-roaders who are likely to encounter rocks and other miscellaneous debris that could damage the windshield. (And, hey, you never know when that fluke hail storm is going to strike.)