Jeep reveals four off-road concept vehicles for 58th Easter Safari

Jeep has revealed four new off-road concept vehicles at its annual Easter Safari event in Moab.

In honour of the 58th pilgrimage, which is held in the US state of Utah each year, the car maker has presented the collection of 4x4 vehicles with a nod to other well-known members of its fleet – both past and present.

The first of the concepts, unlikely to ever meet production, is the Wrangler 4xe Willys Dispatcher – which combines the US brand’s 4xe plug-in hybrid technology with a throwback design to the iconic post-World War II civilian Jeep.

The Willys Dispatcher is powered by Jeep’s 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid 4xe propulsion system which makes 280kW and 637Nm, sent through an eight-speed automatic.

Bringing the Willys Jeep into the modern day, the Dispatcher concept gets a glow-up – which includes Super Traxion 36-inch tyres wrapped around vintage-style 16-inch cream-coloured steel alloy wheels. A custom old-school front bumper also houses a new, but classic-looking, 8274 Warn winch, featuring a Warn Epic Series winch hook and D rings. 

However, retaining some of its traditional features, the Dispatcher – like the beloved flat-fender Jeeps of yesteryear – gets ‘WILLYS’ lettering embossed into the sides of the bonnet. The windshield header is coated in gloss black, while the exterior is otherwise painted in a custom shade of element 115 green.

Inside, the Dispatcher gets a custom retrim in a mix of distressed saddle leather and houndstooth cloth inserts. The front and rear headrests have been removed to give the seats the low-back vintage feel and a Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) bikini top keeps passengers shielded from the weather.

Then there’s the Wrangler Low Down concept – a tip of the hat to the Lower 40 concept from 2009 – which features the 392 V8 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic, to honour the outgoing Hemi V8 which will be sent off with the Rubicon 392 Final Edition in the US.

Rolling at stock ride height to maintain its centre of gravity, the original two-door Lower 40 accommodated huge 40-inch mud-terrain tyres while packing a 5.7-litre V8 under the bonnet.

The new Low Down concept rides on 42-inch BFGoodrich Krawler R20 mud-terrain tyres mounted on 20-inch beadlock wheels under its custom high-clearance carbon-fender flares. The stock Wrangler Rubicon 392 suspension remains intact, but Dana 60 axles with 5.38 gears replace the standard Dana 44s with 4:10 gears. The Low Down’s centre of gravity remains low, while the ground clearance, breakover, and approach and departure angles all get bumps. 

The exterior of the Low Down is coated in deep poison apple red paint, while the rear door handles have been removed to make the vehicle “streamlined”, and it sports a see-through bonnet.

The interior features custom black leather seats with cloth inserts, and a purpose-built, red-tinted bikini top.

In addition to the Willys Dispatcher and Low Down concepts, Jeep has revealed two JPP vehicles – the Gladiator-based High Top and Grand Wagoneer-based Vacationeer, which feature the brand’s 3.6-litre 'Pentastar' V6 and twin-turbo 'Hurricane' inline-six engines, respectively.

The Gladiator Rubicon High Top pickup mates the V6 to a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, with a focus on low-end torque for off-roading. Dana 60 front and rear axles with matching 5.38:1 gearing and an AccuAir adjustable air suspension help make easy work of Moab’s serious off-road trails.

It’s wrapped in ginger snap metallic paint with retro-inspired two-tone graphics and rides on new 40-inch R18 BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO3 tyres mounted on 18-inch satin black KMC Grenade Crawl beadlock wheels. 

Inside, seats have been retrimmed with custom quilted and perforated tan and black Alea leather, while overhead protection is provided by a JPP sun bonnet.

Finally, the most modern of the concepts is the Vacationeer, which is powered by the 3.0-litre Hurricane twin-turbo 510 engine, delivering 368kW of power and 677 Nm of torque.

From the Spearminted exterior to the custom-trimmed and expanded interior space, the Jeep Vacationeer concept is targeted as a premium SUV, featuring unique bodyside woodgrain graphics that hark back to Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models from the late 1960s to the early 1990s.

Its 35-inch BFGoodrich mud-terrain tyres are wrapped around 18-inch bead grip 701 Method racing wheels for improved off-road performance, while larger wheel openings and custom bodyside flare extensions add to the aggressive look. 

On the roof of the Vacationeer concept is a custom, carbon-fibre RedTail Overland Skyloft – a sleeping space for two people – which necessitates the removal of the original second- and third-row seats. The rear space also features a bed-lined cargo floor and for the front, Tupelo leather seats Jeep commissioned from renowned fashion designer and Wagoneer enthusiast/owner Kiel James Patrick.