Most mainstream vehicle insurers don’t make it a habit of publishing data showing which vehicles have the most claims for windshield damage. Possibly this is because claims made involving a smashed windshield also involve other damage caused during a crash. But any off-road enthusiast will tell you that their windshield collects more chips than vehicles that rarely leave the asphalt. But that’s all about to change for off-roading Jeep owners.

Around mid-July, Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) officially announced it was launching Gorilla Glass windshields for early and late model Wranglers and Gladiators. In September 2019, Gorilla Glass windshields became available for late-model Wrangler SUVs, including the hybrid Wrangler 4xe.

JPP is an original equipment division launched by Mopar and Jeep

Many vehicle owners generally have a negative opinion about aftermarket performance parts. It’s not to say there aren’t manufacturers that produce decent aftermarket performance parts because nearly 80% of independent shops use aftermarket parts, according to Edmunds.

But many professionals and hobbyists also prefer original equipment (OE) for quality assurance. Additionally, most automakers back up their OE parts with a one-year warranty or longer. Contrarily, not only do most aftermarket parts come with little to no warranty, but the automaker may very well leave you hanging if something happens to your vehicle.

Automotive brands like Jeep have long, hard-earned reputations to maintain. It only made sense for it to manufacture and distribute OE performance parts for its top-selling performance models. Both Jeep and Mopar (an OEM division of Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, and Jeep) launched JPP in 2012 to meet the needs of die-hard off-road enthusiasts.

Windshields made with Gorilla Glass have been added to JPP’s list

In mid-July, Stellantis North America reported that replacement JPP windshields made with Corning Gorilla Glass are now available for 2018 through 2021 Jeep Wrangler JL, as well as previous-generation JK models. Even the Jeep J6 two-door pickup truck concept was featured with a Gorilla Glass windshield a couple of years ago.

The good news is that Jeep now offers gorilla Glass windshields as a factory option for the 2021 Wrangler Sport S, Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, Wrangler Rubicon, Gladiator Mojave pickup, and Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4. Rather than paying between $350 and $800, depending on the Jeep model, to have it installed later. The factory option only costs around $100.

Corning Incorporated developed Gorilla Glass, an American multinational technology company specializing in glass and advanced optics technologies. Corning uses the same chemical-strengthening technology used for smartphone and tablet screens. Unlike other windshield strengthening processes that involve increasing the thickness of the glass, the chemical method allows the windshield to remain light yet highly durable.

Additional Jeep Performance Parts available for early and late model Jeeps

According to Mopar, its engineers are the ones who “painstakingly designed, meticulously engineered and brutally tested your Jeep.” It only seems fit that Mopar is the OEM charged with building Jeep’s performance parts. Mopar manufactures JPP with performance parts and a pretty long list of interior and exterior Jeep parts and accessories.

JPP sells everything from powder-coated aluminum fuel doors, trailer tow wiring harnesses, oversized spare tire hinges, and anything else in-between you can think of. The OEM offers several performance and accessory parts for the 2021 Wrangler 4xe as well. For example, if you want to test your hybrid 4X4’s off-road capabilities, you can buy a specialized two-inch lift kit.

If you’re not a Jeep owner, Mopar offers other products such as the Dodge Challenger Drag Pack, a Crate HEMI Engine Kit for pre-1976 classics, and high-performance parts for people who like to race around the track.