Overland Expo West kicked off in Arizona on Friday, and Jeep hit the ground hard with an all-new concept it calls the Awning and Rooftop Tent concept (ARTT). Okay, it's not exactly a name that gets the butterflies fluttering around your stomach, but the concept excels well beyond its title, showing what a go-anywhere Wrangler pop-top micro-camper could look like, straight from the off-road gurus at Jeep's own performance parts arm. And, not surprisingly, it looks better than the average Wrangler camper, coming complete with an oversized bed and interior access hatch.
The ARTT hardware is designed to work quite specifically with the four-door Wrangler Unlimited. It's been developed to shave off some of the bulk and heft of installing a combination of roof rack and standalone rooftop tent, so Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) by Mopar has integrated the tent hardware directly with the Wrangler Unlimited's standard removable hardtop. The collapsed tent sits atop the hardtop and upper Jeep frame below a carbon fiber lid, eliminating the need for a separate rack.
In effect, this layout creates a rooftop tent that works more like a factory pop-up camper van roof. And thanks to the "Freedom Panels" that come as part of the Wrangler Unlimited removable hardtop package, Jeep is able to create an interior access hatch into the tent, something standard, run-of-the-mill rooftop tents don't have. It even adds in a carbon fiber step on top of the center console so campers can climb up without dirtying or damaging their interior.
Truth be told, when all folded and packed for travel, Jeep's roof design appears a bit taller and bulkier than the aftermarket Ursa Minor pop-top but a little sleeker and more styled than the Hatchet roof.
But we can forgive it for being on the large, awkward side because it's not an ordinary straight-lifting roof. Instead, much like the Tonke ID. Buzz roof we looked at earlier this month, it features a full canvas tent that expands off the side of the roof, adding enough interior space for a proper queen-size mattress. Developed in cooperation with Dometic, that tent uses. an inflatable Air Frame design for quick, simple setup, expanding to offer a panoramic array of tall mesh windows.
JPP chose to integrate the roof rather than simply mount on an RTT in an effort to deliver better aerodynamics and weight distribution. The carbon fiber shell construction helps to keep the rig from becoming too top-heavy, while a streamlined shape provides better aerodynamics than many of the flat-fronted rooftop tent designs out there. This is a particularly welcome move as rooftop tents grow larger, heavier and more feature-loaded to the point they're commonly adding between 200 and 300 lb (91 and 136 kg) of weight, before even factoring in the roof rack and hardware necessary to mount them.
Interestingly, Jeep also integrates a rather stout-looking 270-degree awning into its greater roof design. The awning stores inside the carbon fiber shell, emerging over the driver's side once the lid is popped. Jeep doesn't give any details about the canopy, but it appears to be a rugged freestanding design that only requires support legs when the wind picks up.
The actual Jeep in question is the Wrangler 4xe Sunchaser that made its first appearance last month among Jeep's annual Easter Safari concept fleet. So it's actually a plug-in hybrid 4x4 offering up to 22 miles (35 km) of all-electric range and 370 miles (595 km) of total range, as estimated by the EPA. The weight and size of the pop-up roof might bring those figures down a touch, but it'll still be a highly capable micro-camper for long-distance overlanding and rough, rowdy off-roading.
The base Sunchaser concept includes a variety of additional JPP and aftermarket upgrades, starting with a 2-in lift kit, 37-in BFGoodrich KM3 mud-terrain tires and a front Warn winch. Custom side storage boxes with MOLLE panels stand in for the rearmost windows on the hardtop. The concept is finished in a two-tone solar flash and satin black paint scheme, with body-color vented high-top fender flares to match. The custom interior includes two-tone leather seats, leather trim throughout and an IP accessory rail.
As much sense as this awesome tiny camper makes to us, we're not sure it'll build up a strong enough business case at Jeep, the company that took a decade and a half to finally bring a new pickup to market. The company certainly hasn't committed to anything in today's announcement.
"The lightweight and compact JPP Awning and Rooftop Tent concept is the perfect accessory for adventure-seeking Jeep Wrangler owners, whether they are overlanding across long distances or decide to go on a spur-of-the-moment quick weekend getaway,” summed up Mike Koval, Jeep senior vice president and head of sales operations. "We’re excited to see consumer reaction at Overland Expo West to our newest innovative concept for our enthusiast Jeep brand customers."
The good news is that passion for both the Jeep Wrangler and awesome new camper gear absolutely pervades Overland Expo West, and we can't even fathom this debut receiving anything but the most enthusiastic of welcomes. Although, the crowd might start clamoring loudly for a two-door version.
Source: Jeep
