The big event for Jeep enthusiasts is the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, but not only because thousands of Jeep owners from around the world gather for a week of trail rides and technically challenging off-roading, but because Jeep and Jeep Performance Parts by Mopar show off their latest concept and customized vehicles.
The Easter Safari was founded in 1967 by the Moab Chamber of Commerce as a 1-day event and now is hosted by the Moab-based Red Rock 4-Wheeler club. The event this year runs April 9-17 and will include five Jeep concept vehicles, two making their debut and three that were unveiled at the 2021 SEMA Show. They will be joined by five other special Jeeps, including those powered by electricity.
“Easter Jeep Safari is the perfect opportunity for the Jeep brand to push the limits of four-wheel-drive development and, most importantly, to stay connected with our customers,” Jim Morrison, head of Jeep Brand North America, is quoted in the company’s announcement.
“Moab is a rite of passage for many Jeep owners, and to own a Jeep is to truly understand the lifestyle – it’s what the Jeep brand is all about. Whether it’s a Jeep concept or the latest Jeep production vehicle, our customers have the chance to get up close and personal with our passion projects during this event. From a fully capable BEV off-roader to rugged and powerful terrain tacklers, every concept is a true reflection of what our customers tell us they want and give a taste of where the future of the Jeep brand and off-roading can go.”
The 2022 Easter Jeep Safari concept vehicles include:
Jeep Wrangler Magneto 2.0 concept, which returns for a second year to show the capabilities of battery-electric propulsion. This SEMA Show vehicle has been upgraded — and its wheelbase extended 12 inches — to offer 850 pound-feet of torque manipulated by a 6-speed manual transmission in which first-gear ratio has been changed from 5.13 to 3.36 for what Jeep calls “unequaled rock-crawling capability.”
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk PHEV concept demonstrates the potential for the first electric Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is being launched this spring. The vehicle, which combines two electric motors and a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, already has survived the Rubicon Trail in full-electric mode and now will challenge Moab as well.
Jeep ’41 concept honors Jeep’s military heritage but uses Wrangler 4xe electric technology as a plug-in hybrid that can travel 21 miles in zero-emission silence.
Jeep Rubicon 20th Anniversary concept is based on a 2003 2-door Wrangler Rubicon 392 with a dual-mode exhaust, performance hood with center scoop, custom-built half doors and a Sky One-touch power top.
Jeep Bob concept is designed to blur the lines between the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator by “bobbing” the long overhangs of the pickup truck bed for enhanced off-road capability, in this case by a full foot in length. As Jeep puts it, “based on a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, the most noticeable traits of this truck are not what’s on it, but rather what’s missing. All four doors and B-pillars have been removed for the ultimate open-air freedom. Additionally, a customized hardtop has been perforated and a canvas top has been stretched over top in order to provide shelter from the elements while allowing natural light through.”
The Bob uses Jeeps turbocharged 3.0-liter Eco-Diesel V6 as its power source.
Jeep D-Coder concept from Jeep Performance Parts features 35 JPP and Mopar accessories, each painted in Maraschino Red and bearing a QR code to serve as a rolling parts catalog.
Jeep Birdcage concept, also by JPP, was designed as a wide-open-air extreme 4×4 with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Jeep Wrangler Overlook was a SEMA Show concept that stretched a 4-door Wrangler Sahara into a 3-row off-roader with luxury features.
Kaiser Jeep M725 concept was another SEMA Show vehicle that makes a 1967 Kaiser Jeep military ambulance into an off-road support machine and rolling mascot for the Jeep Performance Parts team.
Just to have a look on it makes me happy!