It should not be a secret that I love expedition type vehicles, specifically Land Rovers, G-wagons, Land Cruisers, Unimogs, and of course Jeeps. Each year around this time Chrysler’s Jeep brand shows off a slew of concept vehicles (<- clicky) from their annual Easter Jeep Safari, and this year they did not disappoint. Below are all the concepts. My favorites are the Grand Cherokee Overlander and the Jeep Wrangler Africa. The blue Jeep Chief looks badass at first glance but I don’t love it due to its long wheelbase.
Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder
Based on the Jeep Wrangler, the Red Rock Responder is a support vehicle purpose-built to traverse the world’s harshest terrain with premium off-road equipment to respond to any vehicle emergency with spare parts and tools stored in the built-in drawers and compartments of the cargo box.
With a Vibrance Responder Red exterior paint, Jeep Performance Parts body decal, 10th Anniversary hood with hydraulic hood props, high-top fender flares and 17-inch beadlock wheels with body color beadlock ring, the Red Rock Responder stands out on any trail. In addition, the vehicle sports LED headlamps and foglamps, LED A-pillar and off-road lamps.
Functional capability is increased with the addition of 37-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM2 tires, four inches of JPP lift, Fox shocks, and front and rear Dana 60 axles with 5.38 gearing from Jeep Performance Parts. The vehicle also sports a cold-air intake, prototype off-road rock rails and a Warn winch. Red Rock Responder is also armed with Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition steel front and rear bumpers and high-top fenders that were previously concept parts but quickly became a production part due to popular demand.
Side cargo boxes on each side of the vehicle hold a hi lift jack and accessories, fire extinguisher, road side accessory kit, first aid kit, Snap-on tool soft bags and recovery kit. It also stores an air hose and accessories, a dual compressor and air reservoir and has room for a cooler or a case of water.
The interior stands out along with the exterior with embroidered black and red Mopar Katzkin leather seats, Jeep Performance Parts logo embroidered on the headrests, red accent bezels, grab handles and all-weather floor mats.
The Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Responder is powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine mated to an automatic transmission.
Jeep Renegade Desert Hawk
The newest addition to the Jeep lineup, the Jeep Renegade, is the basis for the Desert Hawk concept vehicle, and is equipped with a selection of Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts for the ultimate desert adventure.
The Desert Tan exterior features a Jeep Performance Parts body decal, a topographical hood decal that depicts the Fins and Things Moab trail, off-road rock rails and a skid plate kit. Also featured are Mopar’s trailer hitch receiver and roof rack.
On the interior, the Renegade Desert Hawk has been outfitted with Mopar Katzkin seat covers, body color bezel accents and Mopar all-weather floor mats.
The Renegade Desert Hawk is powered by the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine with MultiAir2 mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with Jeep Active Drive Low.
Jeep Staff Car
The Jeep Staff Car was built as a salute to legendary Jeep military service vehicles. The open-air Wrangler 4-door-based concept vehicle highlights rugged functionality with heritage design cues. It looks historic and authentic, but is all new.
The function over form of the original Jeep military service vehicles is evident in the Staff Car. Basic steel wheels, minimalist fender flares, “hungry horse” stretched canvas roof and bench seats all echo the original military Jeep vehicles.
The exterior features a Sandstorm exterior color scheme that is carried throughout the vehicle including the wheels, frame and axles. The Jeep Staff Car has no B-pillar and no doors. Jeep designers incorporated military-style round headlamps, Jeep J8 front and rear bumpers, fender-mounted blackout lamp with guards and a rear-mount spare tire and vintage military gas can. The Jeep Staff Car sits on 16-inch wheels with 35-inch Firestone NDT military tires.
The minimalist interior features low-backed bench seats in the first and second row, an integrated roll cage and a painted steel floor in place of carpet. A built-in cooler draws its inspiration from an old artillery box and accommodates 85 cans.
The Jeep Staff Car is powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The Staff Car has a Jeep Performance Parts 2-inch lift kit with Fox shocks and front and rear Dana 44 axles.
Jeep Chief
A tribute to the classic 1970s era full-size Jeep Cherokee, this Wrangler-based concept vehicle evokes the west coast surfer lifestyle of sun and fun with a nod to nostalgic beach rides.
Custom exterior design cues include a vintage Ocean Blue exterior color scheme with a white, French Bread roof; a custom modified razor grille that the original Wagoneer made famous; halogen headlamps; removable sides for an open-air feel and flexible hauling; chrome front and rear bumpers and classic, 17-inch slotted mag wheels for a true ’70s vibe.
Jeep designers developed the Hawaiian themed interior complete with Jeep-designed “Surfer” pink, blue and white flowered cloth and leather-trimmed seats; vintage-style surf stickers on the center console and door handles; a Rosewood front-passenger grab handle and tiki-style shifter handle; and Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen media center.
The doors and windshield were chopped two inches and the Jeep Chief sports a selection of Jeep Performance Parts that include a two-inch lift kit with Fox shocks and front and rear Dana 44 axles with lockers, cold air intake and modified Rubicon rock rails. The Chief is powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander
The Grand Cherokee-based Overlander concept vehicle represents the rough-and-tumble side of Grand Cherokee, a rugged and dependable vehicle customized for the enthusiast interested in overland expeditions where they travel and camp out of their vehicle.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overlander sports Sage Green exterior paint. Custom features include a one-off front fascia, integrated front winch, tow hooks, larger wheel flares, SRT taillamps and hood, off-road rock rails, front and rear skid plates and 18-inch milled wheels with BF Goodrich All-terrain T/A tires.
The powertrain is the 3.0-liter diesel V-6 engine mated to the eight-speed Torqueflight transmission.
To top it off, the Grand Cherokee Overlander has a durable spray-in truck bed coating on the roof and a two-person hard-shell rooftop tent that is easily deployable.
Jeep Wrangler Africa
The Africa is the ultimate Jeep Wrangler for back-country and overland expeditions, with room for extra gear and auxiliary fuel tanks.
The Wrangler 4-door-based vehicle sports a Desert Tan exterior paint, a high-clearance steel front bumper with winch, power step rock rails, power dome vented hood and an extended rear body and high-top roof. Powered by a 2.8-liter diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission, the Wrangler Africa also features fender-mounted auxiliary fuel cans. The Africa sports 17-inch body color steel wheels with 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires.
The Jeep Wrangler Africa is outfitted with a two-inch lift kit with Fox shocks, sway bar links and front and rear Dana 44 axles from Jeep Performance Parts. The spare tire is underbody-mounted and the cargo area, inner roof and floor are finished in a durable spray-in truck bed coating.
Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail
The Canyon Trail concept vehicle is developed from the Jeep Cherokee, Four Wheeler Magazine’s “2015 Four Wheeler of the Year.” In the spirit of that award, the Canyon Trail ups the Cherokee’s best-in-segment capability with Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts specifically designed for even more off-road prowess.
The Cherokee Canyon Trail’s Desert Tan exterior paint is accented with a Satin Black hood that includes a topographical hood decal showcasing Hell’s Revenge, a renowned off-road trail in Moab. The exterior also displays Jeep Performance Parts body decal, Satin Black roof accent colors and the 2015 “Four Wheeler of the Year” decal.
The Canyon Trail interior features Mopar Katzkin leather seat covers and accent stitching, Jeep Performance Parts embroidered logo on the headrests, body color bezel accents, a cargo tray mat, Jeep Cargo Management System, Moab Off-road bag and all-weather floor mats.
Off-road capability is turned up with the addition of JPP off-road rock rails, a two-piece fuel tank skid plate, two-piece underbody skid plate, oil pan and front suspension skid plates, as well as concept 17-inch painted wheels with BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires, which provide an additional one-half inch of lift.
The Jeep Cherokee Canyon Trail is powered by the 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir2 I-4 engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with Jeep Active Drive Lock, which includes low range and a locking rear differential.
New Jeep Concept Vehicles from 49th Annual Easter Jeep Safari
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Mmmmm, so much Jeep…
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Hmmm… Still no true successor to the XJ Cherokee, a lack of diesels across the range, and a bunch of concepts based on the JK Wrangler that are still on the too-long four-door wheelbase.
I’m really hoping that the Renegade is a viable alternative to anything from Subaru, et. al., becase there’s currently nothing else in the lineup that makes me want to own a Jeep again. -
Still no Renegade Trailhawk with a stick? No care.
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The Africa is so sweet. Renegade, also, but they could have used a Katzkin cover other than all black. Still quite a lineup. The Tikki shifter in the Chief is a nice touch.
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The Africa is my favorite too, tough and functional looking without cheesy props like the staff car.
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There is something disingenuous about “hiding” the rear doors on a 4-door vehicle, like on that Chief. If you want it to LOOK like a 2-door, MAKE it a 2-door. On the other hand, if there’s a reason it should be a 4-door, be true to what it is. A lot of designers seem to be ashamed of rear doors for some crazy reason.
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100% agree with you on that.
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I like the Staff Car and the Africa the best. I don’t have any use for the Fiat-based POC Renegade.
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I love the Staff Car bestest, too. Unfortunately, the Staff Car’s lack of shoulder belts makes it forever just a concept.
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GM is out there selling Tahoes for $50K a pop as fast as they can turn them out while its only competitors run with 10 year old designs. Something on the order of the Chief here or a new Bronco would be well received.
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Yeah, you go take a stock Tahoe down anything worse than a muddy gravel road and call it a competitor to anything Jeep makes. Even if it didn’t have an air dam (removable) that gives it an approach angle of 15.5°, it’s still based off a truck that’s 80″ wide with mirrors out. The Tahoe does several things very well, and the Suburban does those same things even better–but none of them are comparable to the things Jeeps do very well.
Not that I’m disagreeing with you that a new Bronco (something more like the less-than-fullsize first gens) or something similar should be in the works by somebody.-
Tahoes are most certainly made for the wilds of the Elementary school pick-up line, but their size sells and I can’t figure why JeepRamChrysler isn’t in on it. If they (or anyone) would make one that fit their off-road theme, so much the better for us. Ford aimed pretty close to the 66-77 Bronco for a new model at one point, and what happened was the Bronco II. I swear these guys in Detroit (Dearborn) miss the point with their products more often than they hit it.
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The Wagoneer is coming back for 2018(19?), and it sounds like it’ll be a larger-than-Durango full-size SUV. It also sounds like it’ll be an Escalade competitor
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Sweet golly, that Wrangler Africa! It took ripping off the Defender, but finally there’s a four door Wrangler that doesn’t look awful!
Now of course we won’t ever see it in the dealerships because that’s how Jeep appear to roll considering we’re still waiting for that Wrangler pickup they’ve teased us with a decade ago. But it’s a start.-
On the other hand, aren’t the rumours that the next Wrangler will have the option of a fixed roof anyhow? Considering it’s the four-door model that’s really boosted sales, it’s plausible this could tease some of the design of the replacement, since people will actually buy that. Not many people buy single cab pickups anymore, no matter how much Jeep dangles that in front of the faithful.
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But there are very few small single cab pickups available, and if you look at the really strong sales of the killed off Ranger, most of them were sold as single cap pickups to fleets. It does make business sense. They’d just need a second factory because from what I know Toledo is already working three shifts.
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That’s a good point then – if they’re pretty much already building Wranglers near their current capacity, there’s probably not much incentive to open up a second factory just to sell a low-margin fleet spec product. I mean, if they needed to fill Toledo capacity, it’d make sense, but I’d assume they’d need a pretty hefty jump in sales to open a second line.
And even if there is a fleet market for small single cab trucks, how many could justify spending the premium over the cheaper, more efficient Colorado or Tacoma? I mean, I don’t think the Orkin man has much business at the end of the Rubicon trail.
As for the private market, there are currently plenty of conversion options, if that’s what you desire over anything else. The Chrysler dealer in my hometown built one. It went unsold for at least a year.-
There was one near me, too. It was on the low for a long time… it had to do everything with its ridiculous price.
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I’ve saying for years (tho no one is hearing me) that Jeep should totally jump on the Defender bandwagon and offer the Wrangler in three wheelbases, in wagon and pickup version, LHD and RHD, and offer a vehicle that is cheaper and better made than the Defender around the world.
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i dunno if this is a weird thing to say, but that renegade looks so cute with the black paint on the eyes and grille
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Why overland vehicles have those ropes running from front corners to roof corners, to guide away tree branches or?
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Yup, to prevent branches from cracking the windshield.
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Yes, they’re even called “limb raisers.”
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Also I may be a day late on this, but I found a few minutes to hop into Photoshop and turn the Staff Car into the two door it really should be. Hope you guys dig it.
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