Jeep has revealed a menagerie of concepts for the 57th annual Easter Jeep Safari, and its head of design says elements of these could make their way to production vehicles.
The event will be held from April 1-9 in Moab, Utah.
Jeep is fielding seven concepts this year, developed by the brand and Jeep Performance Parts from Mopar.
“There are always little secrets sprinkled about, and we’ve proven that over and over,” said Jeep design head Mark Allen.
“Last year, for instance, we pretty blatantly showed the 20th Anniversary Rubicon… We were hiding it in plain sight.
“I love my brand for that. I think that’s pretty cool.”
While that far from confirms a production version of the wild manual-equipped electric Wrangler Magneto 3.0 concept, it suggests smaller details could make their way to Jeep showrooms.
“We’ve put plenty of things out there that have reached production in one way or another. They could be small or big,” said Mr Allen.
He also pointed to the JL Wrangler in particular, which featured various elements inspired by previous Moab concepts such as factory-fitted metal bumpers.
“The whole time we were thinking about that vehicle and prepping it and designing it, we were baking in all kinds of learnings from Moab,” he said, noting the annual event can be used for trial balloons – if a feature doesn’t get applause, it can be easily forgotten.
“Our annual trip to Moab allows us to showcase the latest selection of custom and authentic, quality-tested Jeep Performance Parts from Mopar,” said Mark Bosanac, senior vice president in North America for Mopar service, parts and customer care.
“Unlike any other aftermarket offerings, our growing portfolio of factory-tested and factory-backed parts and accessories are specifically designed and engineered to face the toughest trails in the world.”
This year, there’s the usual array of wild-looking Wrangler-based models and restomods.
Wrangler Magneto 3.0
As the name suggests, this is the third Magneto concept.
New for the latest in this line of Magnetos is the presence of three driver selectable functions.
Drivers can choose between two different outputs: standard, with 212kW of power and 370Nm of torque; and maximum, with 485kW and 1220Nm.
There’s a two-stage power regeneration mode and an “aggressive” hill descent mode with a “true” one-pedal driving experience.
There’s no range figure here: Mark Allen says that’s not important as this is a retrofitted Wrangler being used as a test bed.
“First thing people ask me is what’s the range, what’s the charge time because that’s important for them to know. I don’t care. It’s not an impressive range, it’s more about what does an electric Jeep feel like, drive like, respond and act,” said Mr Allen.
Jeep has modified the door opening, pulling it back by 15cm for greater accessibility. It has also given the latest Magneto a more “chopped” look, with a windshield raked back 12 degrees.
It’s shod with 20-inch off-road beadlock wheels in 40-inch mud terrain tyres, with a 7.6cm lift and Dynatrac 60 and 80 front and rear axles, respectively. Both use a 5.38:1 ratio.
The Magneto 3.0 is finished in Bright White and Surf Blue, the latter prominently featuring on electrified Jeeps. It gains red accents in its latest iteration, while inside there’s rich blue leather upholstery with red accent stitching.
There are no seats in the rear, with a Rhino-lined floor area finished in Surf Blue instead.
1978 Cherokee 4xe Concept
Arguably the coolest of the septet is this SJ Cherokee-based restomod, taking a ’78 version of the two-door SUV and “affectionately blending” it with a Wrangler Rubicon 4xe.
That means a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid resides under the otherwise era-appropriate styling, finished in an unmistakably 1970s colour scheme inside and out.
The rear seat has been removed, replaced with a four-point safety cage, while the 4xe rides on 17-inch “slotted mag”-style wheels in 37-inch tyres.
Grand Wagoneer Overland Concept
Wrangler and Gladiator-based concepts tend to dominate the Easter Jeep Safari program, but here’s one based on Jeep’s flagship SUV, closely related to the Ram 1500.
It’s powered by the company’s new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine, producing 380kW and 678Nm.
The most obvious change is the custom RedTail Overland Skyloft, constructed from carbon-fibre, which unfolds in around 10 seconds from the inside by simply pushing up with one arm. It sleeps two.
The second- and third-row seats have been removed, while the rear-most sunroof was repositioned to create a custom weatherproof, pass-through entrance from the rear of the cabin up into the Skyloft.
There’s also a fore/aft sliding door and a small step for greater accessibility.
For those relaxing in the main cabin, there are two oversized beanbags, a plush throw rug, pillows, and custom ambient lighting.
The concept is finished in Industrial Green with Gunmetal accents and a Rhino-lined roof, with two sets of laser lights up front, a Warn winch on the front grille, larger wheel openings with custom wheel flares, and tweaked front and rear-end styling.
It also rides on custom 18-inch wheels in 35-inch tyres, lifting the burly SUV by 3.8cm.
Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Concept
The Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Concept doesn’t have a memorable name, but has an unmistakable chromatic magenta paint finish.
It also features the Rubicon 20th Anniversary’s grille, 37-inch tyres, and American Expedition Vehicles wheels, bumpers and differential covers, while inside the custom leather upholstery has subtler splashes of magenta that appear below the animal print perforated surface.
There are other pops of magenta, while the black patent leather dash panel has a zipper trim that hides a layer of pink velvet.
Scrambler 392 Concept
Using the Scrambler name from Jeep’s back catalogue – last used on a pickup truck related to the CJ-7 – this two-door concept started life as a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.
While the old CJ-8 Scrambler never offered V8 power, the Easter Safari concept packs a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 under its bonnet with 350kW and 637Nm.
It also rides on a newly released AccuAir air suspension kit developed for the Wrangler and Gladiator, allowing you to adjust suspension lift from 3.8cm to 14cm. The suspension can be adjusted on the fly with an in-cab controller, or through long-range Bluetooth on a wireless device.
There are custom fender flares and lightweight bumpers, plus a carbon-fibre bonnet with a clear centre insert to show off the big V8.
It’s finished in Sublime green, with plaid blue upholstery inside and Brass Monkey-coloured accents outside on the rims and tow hooks. It also rides on 20-inch wheels in 40-inch tyres.
Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Departure Concept
This concept takes a Wrangler Unlimited and treats it to a custom-designed tubular grille guard, which can be folded down to form a bench on which to sit, as well as a modified front bumper with a Warn winch.
Other changes include new, flat-fender flares and wheel liners designed specifically for larger wheel/tyre combinations and greater clearance. These also include removable daytime running light covers for those who need extra tyre clearance.
Speaking of lighting, there are three concept header-mounted 28cm TYRI rectangular LED lights that mount to the backside of the windshield header; these easily pivot out of the way when you fold down the windshield.
There are also custom rock lights at all four corners of the vehicle, plus custom rock rails with mounted slider tubes, and JPP tube doors.
Molle panels attach to the sport bar to house additional accessories that require a mounting point, and trail rails in the cargo compartment allow you to tie down additional accessories.
A convertible tube gate at the rear allows for front- or rear-facing positions for the spare wheel, and when this is flipped outward the system acts as a bed extender to free up more cargo space.
Flip it inward, and the rear overhang is improved for off-roading. Despite the unique design, there’s still a factory reversing camera that works regardless of the position the gate is in.
The concept is finished in Dark Harbor blue, also found in the interior along with Vintage Bronze accents. The blue contrasts with the Carnegie Hall and Acorn Squash brown leather upholstery with off-white Serafil stitching.
Other accessories include a concept instrument panel accessory rail, allowing you to mount phones or other accessories to record your adventures on the trail. A heavy-duty vinyl flooring system includes integrated floor drains.
Gladiator Rubicon Sideburn Concept
This Gladiator-based concept features a custom Jeep Performance Parts limb-riser, which uses heavy-duty cables attached from the top of the bonnet latch to the back of the windscreen header. This directs loose branches up and over the roofline, stopping them from damaging your bonnet and windscreen.
The removable roof panels have a pair of removable 28cm TYRI rectangular LED lights, as on the Departure concept. Also shared with that concept is the tubular grille guard that doubles as a bench, plus a Warn winch mounted up front.
There’s a concept JPP Gladiator Sport Bar, made from lightweight carbon fibre and steel, which Jeep says “enhances the space between the cabin and the bed”. It features tub steps on both sides for easy access, as well as a mid-shelf with tie downs and four T-track rails higher up.
The tub has integral Molle panels above and behind the wheel flares for additional storage, plus integrated RotoPaX containers designed for liquid storage. A spare tyre carrier sits in the tub, holding a 37-inch tyre.
A custom tailgate also includes three Molle-panel openings, while there are also half doors from Jeep Performance Parts.
The Pentastar V6-powered concept, which also borrows its grille from the Wrangler Rubicon 20th Anniversary, is finished in Solar Flash yellow and features a 5cm lift kit with Bilstein performance shock absorbers.
It rides on black HRE 17-by-9-inch FT1 six-spoke wheels in 37-by-13-inch BF Goodrich tires.
Inside, there’s Vienesse Relicate Nappa leather upholstery finished in a deep reddish brown, while the instrument panel features a 3D topographical map of Moab scenery.
