Like every year, Jeep submits the prototypes it is working on to the judgment of the community that travels to Moab, Utah, for the Easter Jeep Safari – an off-road event in the USA – each designed for a different type of off-road approach. This year there are seven, four of which are electrified: from the futuristic Magneto 3.0 – totally electric, devoted to the toughest off-road – to the very classic 1978 Grand Cherokee, here revisited in a 4xe key. Passing by Scrambler 392 with air suspension, Rubicon 4xe with 37-inch tires, Wagoneer Overland for cross-trekking enthusiasts with a carbon-fibre roof lodging, Rubicon 4xe Departure for sky off-road enthusiasts open, and Gladiator Rubicon Sideburn with extensive use of carbon fiber.
ANSA Motori was able to test all these cars in the magnificent scenery of the Dead Horse State Park, which over twenty thousand enthusiasts flock to every year during the Easter period. A fundamental test bed for Jeep, which takes public feedback into the highest regard. “Every year we receive fundamental information – explains Mark Allen, head of Jeep design – because they come from those who love off-roading, use these vehicles and have clear what they want.
In recent years, for example – he continues with amusement – while hiding in the crowd, I’ve gathered stimuli from many quarters for the introduction of a different type of suspension, which requires wider mudguards and larger wheels. None of these prototypes – continues Allen – will become a product, and some – such as the 1978 Grand Cherokee, now electrified 4xe – represent a tribute to the past. Instead, we will take inspiration from everyone for the creation of the next cars. Knowing – he concludes – that every enthusiast has his own idea of off-road, and that everyone is looking for reliability, safety and solidity”.
These are the prototypes we tested:
– Jeep Wrangler Magneto 3.0 concept
It is release number three, as the name suggests, for Magneto, the fully electric 4×4 designed for the most extreme off-road use, capable of overcoming any roughness or slope. The stated objective is to study how compatible total electrification is with off-roading, what the limits are and what the potential is. This version boasts two selectable power levels: 285 HP for 273 Nm of torque and 650 HP for 900 Nm.
Given the height from the ground, getting on board is not an easy task.
Driving is evidently still a concept, but the perception of potential is immediate. The first peculiarity is the possibility of using it also with a manual gearbox, complete with a clutch pedal. Remaining in third gear, the automatic is activated. As we have been able to test, the most impervious descents can be covered in total ease – in practice, the car descends by itself – without touching any pedal and only moving the steering wheel. The white and blue livery pays homage to the three evolutions of the concept, while the bonnet is embellished with a large transparent insert showing the power unit.
-Jeep Scrambler 392
Probably the most exciting in terms of performance, a tribute to the open air in full power: the 6.4-litre V8 engine develops 470 HP for 470 Nm of torque, but what is particularly striking is the agility with which it moves thanks to the AccuAir air suspension, which allows a suspension lift of 3.8 to 14 cm even on the move. A system that almost eliminates the jolts caused by the roughness of the ground, in favor of a soft ‘bump effect’ which spreads from the 40-inch tires to the passenger compartment.
– Jeep Cherokee 4xe 1978
A dive into the past, but in a modern key, with the 1978 Jeep Cherokee 4xe. Although very similar to the classic SUV of the past, this concept is completely new and tackles off-road with the agility of modern times. The bodywork, in a yellow color typical of the seventies, has been rebuilt with carbon fiber panels while under the hood the Jeep Wrangler 4xe powertrain rumbles, with two electric motors, a high voltage battery pack, an I-motor 2.0-litre turbocharged 4 and eight-speed automatic transmission mated to a 4:1 reduction gear. The interior features low-back seats, period-inspired headlining and painstaking reconstruction of the door levers and window knobs. The gem? Closing the door, the typical clatter of the cars of those years remains unchanged.
– Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe
Recognizable by the new Tuscadero shade of the bodywork, a bright magenta color, it focuses everything on the color combination. Gloss Black front grille and headlamp bezels, Rubicon 20th Anniversary seven-slot grille with tone-on-tone print to match interior theme, bespoke leather seats with Gloss Black inserts. Magenta accents on the door handles, pull handles, gear lever and gear lever gaiters. The dashboard is painted black, with a hinge that hides a layer of pink velvet.
– Grand Wagoneer Overland
For the more extreme outdoor enthusiast, there’s the Grand Wagoneer Overland. Powered by a 3.0-litre Hurricane Twin Turbo 510PS engine with 500Nm of torque, it is equipped with a huge amount of accessories. Above all, the Skyloft RedTail Overland stands out: a carbon fiber accommodation applied to the upper part of the roof that opens in seconds.
In the passenger compartment, the two rows of rear seats make room for a habitable and fully equipped compartment.
– Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Departure
Based on the open-air cockpit of the electrified vehicle present in the range, it has elements developed by the JPP by Mopar design team such as the spare tire and its support to overcome the limits of the departure angles available with 4×4 electrification. Fitted with a 5cm lift kit, it has a tubular hatch at the rear which allows the wheel and spare tire to be turned towards the front or rear. When the spare wheel is turned outwards, the system acts as a bed extender to increase cargo space. If the hatch faces the cockpit, the rear overhang improves dramatically for off-roading.
– Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Sideburn
Intense yellow livery – the shade is called Solar Flash Yellow – the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Sideburn is the Jeep ‘laboratory’ for the use of technologies and tools for the most modern off-roading. The front grille guard folds down to transform into a bench on the bumper, while the floor pan features molle panels, and the integrated bins are designed for liquid storage during off-road adventures. The open-air feeling is reinforced by the half doors.
Source: Ansa
I am an author at Global happenings and I mostly cover automobile news. In my time working in the automotive industry, I have developed a keen interest in the latest developments and trends. My writing skills have also allowed me to share my knowledge with others through articles and blog posts.
