What's the news?
Every year, for the past 51 years, Jeep enthusiasts have descended upon the rugged, rocky trails and mountains of Moab, Utah for the annual Easter Jeep Safari. It's become such a significant event for Jeep fans, that the 4WD brand regularly brings along concepts and show cars that won't ever go near a motor show stage, verging from the simple body-kit, to the truly wacky, to the surprisingly desirable.
"Pushing the limit is something the Jeep brand is no stranger to and these seven new, exciting and capable concept vehicles are the latest example of that," said Mike Manley, Head of Jeep Brand, FCA. "Every year, we look forward to introducing new concept vehicles and ideas to our enthusiasts. The Moab Easter Jeep Safari presents a unique and perfect opportunity to collect valuable insight from our most loyal customers."
So, for the 52nd Safari, Jeep has worked with Fiat-Chryslers turning and spares department, Mopar, to create seven - yes, seven - new concept cars specially for the fans at Moab.
Jeep 4Speed
First up is this sporty-looking, stripped-back 4Speed model, based on the new Wrangler and using that car's new four-cylinder turbo petrol engine. It gets a mixture of carbon-fibre and aluminium panels and structural elements to save weight, while the windscreen and rollcage are swept back to give it more of a streamlined look. Well, for a Jeep at any rate. A full 550mm have been chopped from the standard Wrangler's overall length, but the wheelbase has been kept the same, meaning that the 4Speed can essentially climb up a vertical slope, thanks to have almost zero front and rear overhangs. Helping with that are special off-roading axles, supplied by specialist company Dana, and massive 18-inch wheels with 35-inch tyres.
Jeep Sandstorm
Wrangler-based again, the Sandstorm has been inspired by the rough-and-tumble racers of the Baja 1000 off-road endurance event. Jeep says that it's able to "blitz long, sandy straightaways while still being capable of handling the daily driving duties." On the outside, there's a carbon-fibre bonnet, high-ground clearance front and rear wings, and a stocky roll cage. There are also tube-style bumpers, a racing-style fuel filler, and an on-board air compressor.
Underneath, the front axle has been moved forward 100mm, and gets heavy-duty long-arm suspension, while the rear gets the same suspension, and is moved backward by 5mm. Wheeltravel is a staggering 350mm at the front, and 450mm at the rear. Inside there are leather front seats, and low-back racing bucket seats in the back, and power comes from a massive 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine.
Jeep B-Ute
The B-Ute is based on the Renegade, and gets a new grille, with new heat vents on the bonnet, and heavily flared wheelarches. It rides 38mm higher than standard, gets 17-inch wheels with big BF Goodrich off-roading tyres, and a chunky roof-rack. Inside there are custom seats, carbon-style trim, and all-weather floor mats. It gets a 2.4-litre petrol engine, and a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Jeep Wagoneer Roadtrip
This is our favourite of the concepts, essentially a resto-mod of a classic Jeep Wagoneer (which did the whole luxury SUV thing years before the Range Rover). It uses an original Wagoneer steel body, but gets entirely new underpinnings. Those include a longer wheelbase (stretched by 120mm), wider track, and flared arches. Jeep has reinforced the chassis and body, and fitted Dana axles, with locking diffs, front and rear, along with four-link suspension and 17-inch wheels. Inside, the front and rear bench seats are original, but everything's covered in leather and there's a wicker headlining. There's even a refrigerated coolbox, made to look like a classic sixties suitcase and a toolbox made from the cam cover of an original Wagoneer straight-six engine. Oh, you mentioned engine? This one is packing a 5.7-litre V8... Want. Want so much.
Nacho Jeep
The Nacho Jeep does not, sadly, come with nachos, but Jeep and Mopar have basically thrown the entire tuning and styling catalogue at this one. What started out as a Wrangler now has orange paint with a black bonnet and a cold-air ramscoop, new bumpers, a winch, powerful Magnetti Marelli LED spotlights, and rear lights that use colour coding to let drivers behind you know what's happening with the terrain - green for keep going, amber for go slow, red for stop, and a white spotlight option too. There's also a 50mm lift kit, 63mm-diameter shock absorbers, and black leather seats. The doors have been de-skinned for something of a garden-gate look.
Jeep Jeepster
The Jeepster (again, a Wrangler-based concept), gets Firecracker Red paint, meant to evoke the original 1966 Jeepster. There's also a chop-top hardtop, a more raked windscreen, a snorke, 8,000-Lumen off-road LED spotlights, a 50mm lift kit, and storage packs mounted to the tailgate, with a gap in the middle to allow the rear view camera to see out.
Jeep J-Wagon
Finally, there's the Jeep J-Wagon, based on the five-door Wrangler, and boasting a massive snorkel for tackling the deepest of floods and rivers. Jeep says it's a premium-look Wrangler, "equally at home on the trails and urban cityscapes." On the outside is Warm Neutral Grey paint, with 'Brass Monkey' highlights, 17-inch wheels, and off-roading spot lights. Inside there are luxurious camel-coloured Katzkin leather seats.