Automotive

Rubicon Recon Edition is a rougher, tougher Wrangler

Rubicon Recon Edition is a rougher, tougher Wrangler
The new Jeep Wrangler Recon Edition will be on sale later this month
The new Jeep Wrangler Recon Edition will be on sale later this month
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The new Jeep Wrangler Recon Edition will be on sale later this month
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The new Jeep Wrangler Recon Edition will be on sale later this month
The Recon sits on a small lift kit
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The Recon sits on a small lift kit
Red touches abound in the Wrangler Recon cabin
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Red touches abound in the Wrangler Recon cabin
The Rubicon Recon is designed to go further into the wilderness than the standard car
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The Rubicon Recon is designed to go further into the wilderness than the standard car
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As four-wheel drives have taken a turn for the luxurious, the Jeep Wrangler stands tall as a capable, old fashioned off-roader. The regular Rubicon will already go anywhere, but some hardcore enthusiasts want more than just regular – they want to know no road, rock or rut will be able to stop them. The new Wrangler Rubicon Recon aims to cater for these people.

Most of the major changes come under the skin of the Recon, where Jeep has spent its time taking a tough underbody and making it properly bombproof. The front axle has been upgraded with strengthened tubes and heavy-duty end forgings, while the differentials at both ends have been covered with cast heavy-duty covers. Gone are the standard rock rails and in their place is a shorter set, designed to leave room for the gigantic off-road tires.

Although it's fitted with the same part-time four-wheel drive as the regular Rubicon, the Recon runs with a 4.10 ratio on both axles, while Tru-Lok locking differentials are standard as well. Fitted with the six-speed manual gearbox, the car has a crawl ratio of 73.1:1 for easy rock-crawling.

As is standard for its special editions, Jeep has given the Recon Edition some unique exterior touches and a fresh interior trim. The car sits on a half-inch lift kit, and the new 17-inch aluminum wheels are wrapped in 32-inch BF Goodrich rubber. Gone is the standard front bumper, and in its place is a winch-ready unit with removable end caps. There are also exposed red tow hooks, just in case the off-road upgrades can't keep you from getting stuck. While these touches will be obvious to those who frequent the Jeep Easter Safari, they're unlikely to make the Recon an instantly recognizable hit among the masses.

Inside, the Recon is fitted with leather seats, an eight-speaker audio system, black leather seats and contrast stitching. Red accents on the doors, seatbelts and door pockets, are also standard, but keen off-roaders will be more interested in the new electronic gauge cluster which can be customized to give information about coolant temperatures, speed or individual tire pressures – all of which are useful when you're crawling over rocks, deep in the wilderness. Less useful is the dashboard plaque, which gives a brief rundown of the upgrades fitted to the car.

Pricing for the Wrangler Rubicon Recon Edition starts at US$39,145 for the two-door, and US$42,945 for the four-door version. It will be on sale later in February.

Source: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

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4 comments
4 comments
guzmanchinky
1/2 inch lift? Not sure of the point of that. Usually the minimum is 2 inches.
JohnNelson
Never understood why the upgraded driveline package only exists for the Rubi interior. I ordered the wrangler X with the Rubi driveline. Who wants to spend all that money (and weight) on leather, speakers , electric seat heaters, and electric windows when you're going to get mud, blood, scales, feathers, and fur all over it anyway! It isn't clean and pretty way out there! And...I saved about 14 grand doing it that way!
Island Architect
Under Ralph Gilles' guidance Jeep has regained its stature as top dog. The decidedly British prim and proper look is handsome as hell.
On two occasions I have talked with Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's and asked how the owner liked them. On both occasions, the owners said that it was the best car they ever owned.
While that is a bit shocking, I can begin to see it.
Calson
99 percent of the Wrangler owners will never take them on dirt roads much less off the road on trails. They are like the Hummer, a way to project that the owner is a rugged individualist, but when I see these vehicles I think of the owners as suckers, paying so much money for such a crude vehicle.