Jeeps always look better out in the wild, as seen here from Forbes.com.
Each one is different, but they’re all based on the classic Wrangler-ish style, no Cherokees or anything like that. I joke a lot that Chrysler’s entire business model is cramming a Hemi into things, and I’m not entirely wrong, as they do that a lot, Jeep Wrangler excused. I think, to date, the only Jeep Wrangler released with a Hemi under the hood was the maniacal Trailcat with cartoon-like proportions and a 707 horsepower Hellcat V8 moving it violently along any and all terrains. I’m pretty sure the Trailcat could do the quarter-mile in twelve seconds flat, vertically scaling a building. Sadly, I believe only one was ever released, the lime green concept, which is fully functional and has been driven and reviewed many times, by the way. I don’t know why Jeep doesn’t stuff the Hemi into the Wrangler and Gladiator platform for production, but I also don’t know all the modern-day legalities, nor have I taken a tape measure to the engine or engine compartment that I think it belongs it.
However, this isn’t about the Hemi as there isn’t one present between the four new concepts. In no particular order, here’s what Jeep brought to the table. First, the Red Bare Gladiator Rubicon, sporting a classy red paint job and complementary red plaid inserts in the black interior. Under the hood is a 260 horsepower 3.0-litre V6 EcoDiesel that’s turbocharged, Dana 44 differentials on both ends, and a JPP two-inch lift. There are a few black accents that really bring the room together, and that’s about it. The Orange Peelz is a different story, as it’s more of a true, bare-bones Wrangler. Thirty-seven-inch BF Goodrich mud tires on seventeen-inch wheels and Fox Racing shocks on a two-inch JPP lifted chassis. There’s no side glass, no rear glass, a removable sunroof, and half-doors. It’s not as basic as the original military-style Jeep, but it’s a close second.
Want to feel the open road even more? How about a dune buggy? The Jeepster Beach sports the classic flat-fendered Jeepster dune buggy styling, mostly because it is a classic Jeepster Commando body mounted on a modern Wrangler Rubicon chassis. It’s the most eye-catching of the bunch, in a wild two-tone combination of orange and silver with chrome accents and a red interior. Under the hood is a turbocharged four-cylinder putting down 270 horsepower through an eight-speed automatic. When I think Jeep Wrangler, I don’t usually think “automatic,” I think three pedals.
Enter the last new concept, the Magneto. It’s got a six-speed manual behind an electric motor. Yes, that’s right, an electric Jeep. Honestly, I don’t hate it. How many times have you known someone that had enough winch but not enough battery power? Problem solved in the Magneto. The more I look at this line-up, the more impressed I am with the potential reality of them all. Aside from the Jeepster Beach, none of them are that far of a stretch from what’s already in production. I think I still prefer the new Bronco, but maybe the gap is tighter now.
Have a question or comment for Kelly? Post it at lmtimes.ca/kirk
