Every year, as the rest of us are trying to work out exactly how many chocolate eggs we can eat without risking a diabetic coma, Jeep and fans of Jeeps are congregating in Moab, Utah for the annual Easter Jeep Safari. It's a mixture of a camping trip, off-roading challenge, and mini-motor show, and Jeep always brings out some interesting concepts to show off.
With Ireland now having a new Jeep importer (in the shape of the Gowan Group) we're not saying that we're definitely, 100 per cent, getting all of these concept cars as full on-sale production models very soon... but we're not not saying that either.
A reflection of customer desires
"Easter Jeep Safari is the perfect opportunity for the Jeep brand to push the limits of four-wheel-drive development and, most importantly, to stay connected with our customers," said Jim Morrison, Senior Vice President and Head of Jeep Brand North America. "Moab is a rite of passage for many Jeep owners, and to own a Jeep is to truly understand the lifestyle - it's what the Jeep brand is all about. Whether it's a Jeep concept or the latest Jeep production vehicle, our customers have the chance to get up close and personal with our passion projects during this event. From a fully capable BEV off-roader to rugged and powerful terrain tacklers, every concept is a true reflection of what our customers tell us they want and give a taste of where the future of the Jeep brand and off-roading can go."
First of the ten (yes, ten) concepts that Jeep is bringing to Moab this year is the Jeep Wrangler Magneto 2.0 Concept. Unsurprisingly, given the name, this is an electric Wrangler, with a 600-amp electric system, powered by a 70kWh battery pack. Jeep claims that it has 1,150Nm of torque and 625hp, and unusually for an electric car it also has a six-speed manual gearbox, "for ultimate control over the propulsion system."
That 600-amp power output can be maintained for ten seconds at a time - Jeep refers to it as 'electric nitrous' - and is designed for tackling the trickiest, not to say verticalist, of terrain. The three-door Wrangler's body has ben modified with a 300mm wheelbase stretch to allow more battery space, a 76mm 'lift kit' for the suspension, and massive 20-inch wheels wearing 40-inch tyres. There are special locking axles, front and rear, lightweight bumpers, carbon-fibre panels, 'Surf Blue' paint, and even a blue-tinted, transparent window in the bonnet that allows you to see some of the powertrain.
Electric running
Next up is the Trailhawk 4Xe version of the recently-launched Grand Cherokee. Jeep claims that this plug-in hybrid can get you 40km off into the woods in electric-only mode and that it can average 56mpg on the tough US MPGe test (which is usually much more realistic than the WLTP test used for European fuel economy figures). The Trailhawk concept - as with the production Grand Cherokee PHEV - gets two electric motors and a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine. There's an eight-speed automatic transmission, 'Quadra-Lift' air suspension, and active anti-roll bars that can be disconnected for maximum off-road performance.
The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk gets a custom Industrial Blue exterior colour, with Lagoon Blue tow hooks and glare-proof black-and-blue matte Trailhawk sticker. There's also a custom roof rack with integrated tie-downs, black painted Rhino Liner roof for added durability, custom fog light bezels with quad LED projector fog lamps and custom vinyl side graphics for protection against debris. The wheels are custom 20-inch painted Neutral Gray metallic matte rims with 33-inch BFG mud-terrain tyres. Inside, there's saddle leather for the seats. Of all the concepts, this is probably the most realistic one - you could make one of these yourself with a deep enough dip into Jeep's 'Mopar' accessories catalogue.
The '41 Concept is, as you'd expect, a harking back to Jeep's creation in 1941, at the behest of the US Army. You can find a 'Since 1941' badge stamped into the trim of most modern Jeep vehicles, but this one takes things a stage further. It's a four-door Wrangler body, with the 4Xe plug-in hybrid powertrain allowing for 32km of electric-only running. The paint is a matte-finished olive drab, army-style, black powder-coated steel bumpers. There's a front-mounted winch, a brown soft-top roof, cut-down doors, and stencilled graphics. Inside, there's more olive drab and a retro-look top for the gear shifter. Meanwhile, those are 35-inch mud-terrain tyres with 17-inch wheels, and the suspension has been lifted up by 50mm.
The Jeep Rubicon 20th Anniversary Concept marks the birthday of the Rubicon Trail in northern California, the fearsome off-road course that all Jeep production cars must be able to tackle. This concept gets the mighty '392' 6.4-litre V8 engine, which sits under a modified bonnet with a massive air scoop. There's a matte Granite Crystal exterior vinyl wrap with gold highlights, a 50mm suspension lift, and 17-inch Mopar beadlock-capable wheels with 37-inch mud-terrain tyres. Oh, and a winch. Gotta have a winch.
The Jeep Bob Concept is sort of a halfway house between the standard three-door Wrangler and the bigger Gladiator pickup. Think of it as a Gladiator Superleggera and you're getting there. It's a playful spin on the popular trend of "bobbing" the long overhangs of pickup truck beds in order to make it the ultimate terrain tackler. The Bob has been stripped back - there are no doors and the b-pillars have been removed - while a full 300mm have been taken out of the overall length. There is a 76mm lift-kit for the suspension, along with heavy-duty off-roading axles and 'King Coil' suspension upgrades. Plus you get massive 40-inch tyres that are mounted to 20-inch beadlock wheels. Power comes from a 3.0-litre Eco-Diesel V6 engine with an eight-speed auto transmission.
Accessories catalogue
Then we have the Jeep D-Coder Concept by JPP. This concept has basically been covered in superglue and dipped into the JPP (Jeep Performance Parts) and Mopar accessories catalogue. Aside from the bright Maraschino Red paint (which is covered with QR codes allowing anyone to quickly find the accessories in the online catalogue), there are special bumpers, off-roading LED spotlights, a winch, a 50mm suspension lift kit, FOX shock absorbers, 17-inch beadlock wheels with 37-inch off-road tyres, a snorkel for the 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine, a freeflow exhaust, a strengthened 'Gorilla Glass' windscreen, extra grab handles, and upgraded Katzkin leather.
Similarly, the Jeep Birdcage Concept by JPP is another showcase for the accessories catalogue. This one is a plug-in hybrid, gets a 50mm lift kit, FOX shock absorbers, Eagle Brown paint, rock protection skid-plates, a winch, 17-inch wheels, special wheelarches which allow for more axle articulation, daytime running lights that can be removed so you don't bash them against rocks, and you'll also notice that the windscreen (and even the windscreen wipers) have been removed. There's a custom-made cowl instead, which protects the interior from dirt and debris. Inside, you get Tobacco Leaf and Cocoa Brown leather seats, an accessory rail so that your mobile devices can be securely strapped down, and an Armorlite vinyl floor with drain plugs so that you can hose everything out.
Alongside these cars, there are three other concepts that previously debuted at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe concept which showcases how passionate off-roaders can build upon the award-winning plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with factory-backed items from JPP. The Jeep Wrangler Overlook concept stretches a four-door Wrangler Sahara into a three-row off-roader loaded with luxury touches, while the intimidating Kaiser Jeep M725 concept is the transformation of a vintage 1967 Kaiser Jeep M725 military ambulance into an ultimate off-road support machine and something of a rolling mascot for JPP.
Relevance to Irish buyers? Almost none, but we'd be lying if we said we didn't love these Jeep concepts...