Automotive

Jeep prepares six new off-road specials for Moab Safari

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2014 Jeep Safari concepts for the annual Easter Jeep Safari
The Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior has 20-in Satin Black prototype wheels
The Mopar prototype roof carrier atop the Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior
A look at the Satin Black grille of the GC EcoDiesel Trail Warrior
The EcoDiesel Trail Warrior rides higher because of an air suspension system
The EcoDiesel Trail Warrior has a Mojave Sand paint job with Satin Black accents
The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior
The Cherokee Dakar's 17-in Satin clear coat wheels include dual Flame Red pockets for a distinct look
The Cherokee Dakar adds a grittier look with its riveted fender flares
Jeep Performance Parts badge
The Cherokee Dakar has Flame Red accenting all over
Jeep's iconic seven-slot grille gets two red inserts on the Cherokee Dakar
Sketch of the Cherokee Dakar
Jeep calls the Dakar the "most extreme Cherokee ever"
The Cherokee Adventurer is built on top of the 4x4 Trailhawk package
The Cherokee Adventurer's prototype 17-in wheels
The Mopar prototype roof basked has a bungee net
The Cherokee Adventurer has a black Trailhawk hood decal
The Cherokee Adventurer
Jeep is showing the Cherokee Adventurer and its five other concepts at this week's Easter Jeep Safari in Moab
Like the Trailhawk it's based on, the Cherokee Adventurer includes red tow hooks
The Cherokee Adventurer is upgraded with rock rails and underbody protection
Jeep's Moab-area Badge of Honor trails highlighted on the Wrangler Maximum Performance
The Wrangler Maximum Performance has beadlock wheels with a Mopar Blue rim
Moab landscape hood graphics
A prototype LED system above the windshield is designed for night adventures
The front of the Wrangler Maximum Performance includes a Mopar grille and prototype Jeep Performance Parts winch
A prototype LED system above the windshield is designed for night adventures
The Wrangler Maximum Performance includes prototype flat-top fenders
Already a prime choice for off-roading, the Jeep Wrangler gets tuned for "maximum performance"
The Maximum Performance includes push-button electric-locking axles and a 4-in (10.1-cm) lift kit
The Jeep Wrangler MOJO claws forward with 37-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires
The Jeep Wrangler gets a little extra mojo
A prototype tire carrier on back of the Jeep Wrangler MOJO
The "Rubicon X" hood is decorated with prototype topographical graphics
Prototype LED headlamps and fog lamps make night trail rides easier
The Wrangler MOJO has "Shorty" bumpers and flat-top fenders
The Wrangler MOJO has a soft top and front and rear prototype half-doors
The Wrangler MOJO is outfitted for breezy off-road adventure
Jeep's Moab Badges of Honor on the Wrangler Level Red
The "Level Red" designation comes from the color coding for the most difficult off-road trails
Jeep/Mopar calls the red on the Level Red "TorRed"
Red grille inserts
The beadlock ring on the prototype 17-in wheels is painted TorRed
The "Rubicon 10th Anniversary" bumpers have prototype "Aero" bumper ends
The Wrangler Level Red has a Pitch Black exterior with TorRed highlights
Underneath its black-red exterior, the Level Red is equipped with upgrades like a 2-in (5-cm) lift kit and a low-restriction exhaust system
Jeep Cherokee Dakar
2014 Jeep Safari concepts
2014 Jeep Safari concepts for the annual Easter Jeep Safari
View gallery - 49 images

For nearly 50 years, Jeep enthusiasts have spent their Easters gathered together in one of the world's great off-roading destinations: Moab, Utah. Chrysler/Jeep eventually caught on to this marketing event in waiting, showcasing the off-road possibilities that its Mopar and Jeep Performance parts divisions can open up. Since 2002, it's introduced 40 Jeep concepts at the annual event. Jeep's six 2014 concepts are aimed squarely at serious off-road enthusiasts itching to explore the planet's diciest terrain.

"We head to Moab and the Easter Jeep Safari with six new vehicles we know Jeep enthusiasts will truly appreciate – including our first two new Jeep Cherokee models built specifically for this important event," says Mike Manley, Jeep's president and CEO. "We look forward to putting these new Jeep vehicles in their proper environment and receiving important feedback from our most loyal customers at their favorite annual off-road gathering."

Wrangler Level Red

The Wrangler Level Red has a Pitch Black exterior with TorRed highlights

Red is the designation for the most difficult off-road trails, so you know the Wrangler Level Red means business. It's stilted up on a Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) 2-inch (5-cm) lift kit. Its 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tire-wrapped prototype 17-in wheels spin at the ends of Dana 44 front and rear crate axles. The 4:1 low range of the Rock-Trac transfer case and 73:1 crawl ratio deliver plenty of torque for slow, purposeful off-road navigation, while a cold air intake and low-restriction exhaust system assist the 3.6-liter V6/six-speed manual powertrain.

The Level Red shows its readiness to rough it with a very distinct exterior. The stock doors are ripped off in favor of Mopar half doors, and "Rubicon 10th Anniversary" bumpers protect the ends. Other exterior upgrades include JPP rock rails, an under-bumper skid plate, a prototype tire carrier, a locking gas cap and a hood prop kit. The Level Red is painted in Pitch Black with a TorRed striping and accents package. It also includes exterior badges for each of the five Jeep-recognized "Badge of Honor" Moab trails.

Wrangler MOJO

The Wrangler MOJO has "Shorty" bumpers and flat-top fenders

According to Jeep's description, the breezy, soft-top MOJO packs enough "mojo" to lay tracks in the most extreme trails. Its mechanical package is quite similar to the Level Red's, with the 2-in lift, 4:1 Rock-Trac transfer case, cold air intake and low-restriction exhaust system. It has 37-in BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires around the beadlock wheels capping the ends of the locking Dana 44 front and rear axles. A set of JPP “Shorty” bumpers, prototype flat-top fenders, rock rails and an under-bumper skid plate protect the MOJO from the inevitable dings and bangs of off-roading. The MOJO's crawl ratio is 59:1 and it includes a JPP prototype winch.

Prototype LED headlamps and fog lamps in front of the Mopar "Rubicon X" hood make night trips easier, with a soft top and prototype two-tone half-door kit opening the dusty desert air to driver and passengers. The body is painted in bright orange (the "OJ" in MOJO stands for "Orange Jeep") and includes "badges of honor."

Wrangler Maximum Performance

Already a prime choice for off-roading, the Jeep Wrangler gets tuned for "maximum performance"

Working right up the hierarchy of hardcore Wrangler off-roader kits, Jeep describes the Maximum Performance edition as designed for "enthusiasts who spend every spare minute on the trail and seek the ultimate in power and capability so they can go where others cannot." It gets more clearance than the previous models courtesy of a prototype 4-in (10.1-cm) lift kit, and the Dana 60 front and rear axles can be electrically locked at the push of a button. The Jeep has 4.88 gearing, the 4:1 Rock-Trac transfer case and a 70:1 crawl ratio.

What good is having a "max performance" Wrangler if your buddies on the trail don't know about it? The biggest visual add-on here is the set of prototype LED lights mounted near the upper border of the windshield. The Mopar Blue four-door stands tall on prototype beadlock wheels with matching blue accents and 37-in Mud Terrains. Other exterior upgrades include the JPP "Stinger" front bumper, front skid plate, Rubicon rock rails, a winch, and Moab landscape graphics on the hood. The Jeep also includes a prototype tire carrier and Badge of Honor markings.

Cherokee Dakar

The Cherokee Dakar has Flame Red accenting all over

Introduced at the New York International Auto Show a year ago, the all-new Cherokee isn't as trail-focused as the Wrangler, but that doesn't mean it can't be upgraded for off-road fun.

The Cherokee Dakar fills the big shoes created by its name with a package that Jeep says makes it the "most extreme Cherokee ever." That claim is underpinned by a prototype lift kit and wheel openings expanded around the 33-in Mud Terrain tires. Other updates, such as the widened fender flares with riveted bolts, improved 39-in departure angle, rock rails and skid plates, add to the Dakar's no-nonsense off-road demeanor. The Dakar's crawl ratio is 48:1. Flame Red accents add a visual spark to the Silver Steel Satin Gloss, particularly in the wheels and grille, where they're applied in a twosome configuration.

Cherokee Adventurer

Jeep is showing the Cherokee Adventurer and its five other concepts at this week's Easter Jeep Safari in Moab

The Cherokee Adventurer kit is based on the hardcore Trailhawk trim and includes the black hood decal and prototype roof basket we've seen in the past. Helping the Adventurer survive off-road trials are a 48:1 crawl ratio, JPP rock rails, and skid plates for the underbody, front suspension, oil tank and fuel tank. The model has a tan exterior and rides on BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires wrapped around 17-in prototype wheels.

Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior

The EcoDiesel Trail Warrior rides higher because of an air suspension system

A combination of large, people/gear-hauling size and diesel grit, the EcoDiesel Trail Warrior sports some upgrades for the dirt beyond. It's held up high on a Quadra-Lift air suspension system and 20-in prototype cast aluminum wheels with All-Terrain tires. It also has JPP tow hooks, rock rails and the Mopar prototype roof basket. The Mojave Sand body is offset by Satin Black wheels and accents. It has a 44:1 crawl ratio.

The six concept Jeeps have interiors trimmed to match the exterior color schemes, but Jeep has not released any photos of the cabins, outside of what you can see through the windows. You can, however, explore other exterior details of these designs in the photo gallery.

Source: Jeep

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5 comments
steveraxx
If you cannot walk in, leaving minimal disruption to the environment. You really should not be there.
It is a travesty what people who "jeep crawl" do to the landscape.
Rt1583
@ steveraxx - You're correct. People do need to behave in a responsible manner, in all actions, including walkers/hikers/backpackers (they're not all saints).
Point is, make sure your house is in order before you criticize someone else's.
steveraxx
Rt1583:
Your attempted admonishment is simply reductio ad absurdum. Taking vehicles into the wilderness is not useful in any manner. If you cannot walk in, do not take a vehicle. Since you missed the logic of the point. Walking is obviously far less disruptive to the flora and fauna than a 5-thousand pound pollutant spewing vehicle is. Really just that simple.
Rt1583
@ steveraxx - I can't quite wrap my mind around how my statement is simply reductio ad absurdum. I never said that vehicle were harmless to the environment. In fact, if you recall, I said that you were correct in your statement.
My point is, there are as many ways to be responsible as well as irresponsible regardless of how you interact with the world around you and everybody should do their part to leave as little impact on the wilderness as possible while at the same time being able to enjoy it as they would like to.
I simply, and quite reasonably I believe, get tired of people who wish to behave as if they are Lord of the Manor and try to lay down rules as they see fit, for their kind, while seemingly ignoring what kind of damage is done by those of their kind.
As far as reductio ad absurdum, this statement fits quite well - "Taking vehicles into the wilderness is not useful in any manner." If you were to walk into the wilderness, say about 30 or so miles from civilization, and something were to happen to you that you could not walk out would you lie there and await your fate, whether it be simply to wait for a few hours to a few day for help to arrive (or at worst, death) or would you welcome the usefulness of taking a vehicle into the wilderness so that you could get to medical help in a timely fashion?
Nutcracker
"Oh boohoo there are black tire marks on that rock... What a travesty.." Do something worthwhile and go spitball a coal fired power plant. Or go lay down on an airport runway. All those planes in the sky are doing the exact opposite of "leaving minimal disruption to the environment." I don't know a single jeeper that crashes through brush, mows over trees while tossing trash out the window. We all stick to trails, and what impact a trail has on the environment is nothing, absolutely nothing compared to all those cow farts!