Stellantis gives their all for the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah each year.
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Reliably accompanying Moab, Utah’s Easter Jeep Safari off-road festival, Jeep’s concept 4×4 Blitz has become one of the year’s most entertaining doses of hardcore SUV fun. That’s not only because Stellantis’ Jeep brand takes the opportunity to showcase a number of cool custom concepts at the annual gathering, but also because the vehicles on display aren’t static models built for the auto show’s turnstiles , but functional runners that the automaker leaves to people to drive off-road.
This year’s lineup ranges from Jeep’s ambitious all-electric makeover, the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 Concept, to more predictable show vehicles essentially drawn from the Jeep Performance Parts catalogue.
2022 easter jeep safari concepts are 4×4 for the believers
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Jeep Wrangler Magneto 2.0 Concept
This Magneto 2.0 might be our favorite. It builds on last year’s Magneto EV concept and packs a staggering amount of pure electric power. It’s more than double last year’s horsepower: 625 horses and 850 lb-ft of torque (up from the 285 hp and 274 lb-ft of the 2021 concept). This is made possible by no fewer than four lithium-ion battery arrays spread across the chassis, reaching a combined capacity of 70 kW/h. Jeep didn’t mention the overall range for this concept, but given this limited pack size, it’s probably pretty abbreviated.
In a nod to brand purists, Jeep has retained a six-speed manual transmission for this two-door concept; Most EVs don’t have multi-speed transmissions, and none on the market offer a shift stick. To deal with all that torque, the mad scientists at Jeep borrowed the transmission from a Hellcat and then beefed it up even further. Apparently, there’s so much rotation available that you don’t even have to use the clutch to get going, although you do need to hit the leftmost pedal to change gears once you’re underway.
Jeep claims this setup can hit 60mph in a crazy-sounding 2.0 seconds, and a new foot-long wheelbase stretch should help avoid unintentional wheelies with all that power. In addition, Magneto also includes a 3.0-inch lift kit and 20-inch wheels wrapped in 40-inch tires. New, minimalist front and rear bumpers enable even better off-road geometry and a carbon hood completes the unique front-end look. The Magneto 2.0 looks like some serious fun, and we’d love to try the single-pedal drive feature and use the manual for ultra-low-speed off-road crawling.
The Jeep Bob Concept takes its name from its abbreviated history. Bob is apparently your uncle’s gladiator.
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Jeep Bob concept
The next ambitious revision in this year’s Easter Jeep Safari concept roundup is probably this unique Bob concept. Built on a Gladiator Rubicon, Jeep gave its pickup a tailectomy, chopping off (“bob”) the truck’s last 12 inches to give this four-door more Scrambler-like proportions and significantly better off-road geometry at the expense of load towing ability.
Interestingly, Jeep removed both the doors and B-pillar for Bob and replaced the roof with a thin vertical pillar. The latter looks like a bimini top made of stretchable fabric, but is actually a one-off hard top covered in canvas. Without the doors or rear window, Bob looks like an exceptionally airy machine that should be perfect for climbing Moab’s famous red rocks.
The truck should also have plenty of torque to make the most of climbing adventures, since it relies on Jeep’s excellent (but frustratingly expensive) 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6. Other functional upgrades include a custom front bumper with auxiliary lights, 3.0-inch suspension, 40-inch tires on beadlock wheels, revised King Coil suspension with bypass shocks, and Dynatrac Pro-Rock 60 axles.
The Jeep Wrangler’s army roots are never far behind, and here they are on display in the ’41 Concept at the ready.
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Jeep ’41 concept
On the less radical side of things, Jeep has taken a Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid and given it the Armed Forces treatment, a homage to the Willys MB that established the brand’s legend in World War II. The Jeep ’41 Concept is an olive drab 4×4 with a relatively modest 2.0-inch Jeep Performance Parts lift, 35-inch off-road tires, half-doors, and a Warn winch mounted on a steel bumper.
Inside, there’s a retro-looking custom shifter and canvas seat pad with digital camouflage inserts. This package looks eminently craftable should parent company give Stellantis the green light.
Jeep’s Grand Cherokee might not be quite as common on Moab’s trails, but this 4xe PHEV concept can probably get to more places than you’d expect.
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Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe Concept
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe concept shouldn’t be left out of the mix, offering an alternative for buyers looking for something more civilized than a Wrangler-based vehicle. This show rig includes bolt-on parts like Mopar stone rails, a custom roof rack mounted on a Rhino-liner protected roof, and 33-inch BFG mud tires mounted on 20-inch matte gray wheels.
Inside you’ll find saddle-colored seats with unique houndstooth inserts and blue stitching that echo the painted tow hooks on the vehicle’s exterior. This concept also seems feasible from a mass production standpoint, although those massive tires would no doubt impact the 4xe PHEV’s limited all-electric range.
Jeep’s Rubicon franchise has been hugely successful, so it makes sense that the company is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
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Jeep Rubicon 20th Anniversary concept
Has it been two decades since Jeep launched its flagship off-road package? Indeed it has, and the automaker is excited to celebrate with the Rubicon 20th Anniversary Concept. In this case, the company is building on the production Jeep Wrangler 392 SUV, with its positive steroid powertrain, 6.4-liter V8 engine and all.
This matte granite crystal all-terrain vehicle features a 2.0-inch JPP lift, 17-inch wheels with beadlock capability wrapped in 37-inch off-road tires, and a Warn winch, among other features. A two-mode exhaust, special one-off half doors, and Jeep’s awesome Sky One-Touch power folding roof complete the package.
Mark Allen, Jeep design chief, reminded us media at a press event that the original Rubicon started out as a Skunkworks project by a group of Jeep engineers calling themselves “The Lunatic Fringe.” With minimal factory support – going so far as to charge portions of their personal credit cards – this cadre of true believers cobbled together the first Rubicon after hours. When the company finally got the green light for production, the company expected to sell a few thousand units a year. Today, Rubicon accounts for about 30% of Wrangler sales — and the Wrangler has sold over 200,000 units in 2021.
It would be quite a shock if Jeep didn’t sell some sort of special edition Rubicon to celebrate the model’s 20th anniversary.
The D-Coder’s bolt-on red components all have QR codes on them so passers-by can scan them and learn more about these performance pieces.
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Jeep D-Coder Concept by JPP
This Jeep D-Coder Concept is essentially a rolling JPP and Mopar catalog on wheels. Cleverly, all of the parts highlighted in maraschino red are from the company’s accessories catalogue, and they all have QR codes you can go to and scan to learn more about the components and how to purchase them. Simple and smart.
Mods include everything from 7.0-inch off-road LED lights to a 2.0-inch JPP lift with Fox shocks and a three-piece modular bumper and Warn winch. A JPP Gorilla Glass windshield offers additional security against rock chips and an additional snorkel ensures that the 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 engine breathes clean air even when wading in deep water.
The birdcage’s glossy brown-red color and hardcore windshield-free nature wins us over.
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Jeep Birdcage Concept by JPP
The Jeep Birdcage concept is another concept wrangler that strives to bring the outdoors inside for the ultimate off-road, outdoor experience. Based on a 4xe PHEV 4-door model, this aquiline beauty has had its windshield and wipers removed. 17-inch beadlock wheels wrapped in 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3 tires are made possible by a 2.0-inch lift kit with a retuned suspension that includes Fox shocks designed specifically for this 4xe model .
Other changes include a one-off Rockslider skid plate and matching bespoke low profile fender flares and wheel arch liners. The latter are “the first fender flares legal in 50 states with OEM DRL” (daytime running lights), says Jeep.
Inside, there’s a JPP instrument panel accessory rail reminiscent of what Ford pioneered on its Bronco, plus there are unique brown leather seats with blue accent stitching and an Armorlight vinyl floor for easy cleaning after a hard day on the bike. Plus, a super-convenient Add-A-Trunk tailgate adds the kind of secure storage that’s hard to find in a Wrangler with the top off. And speaking of the roof off, up there is a Rhino Rack cargo basket that can hold up to 600 pounds of off-road gear.
The annual Easter Jeep Safari is not actually an event hosted by Stellantis, but an annual gathering by fans for fans. The event, sponsored by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers Club of Moab, has welcomed Jeep factory participation for many years. What started as a one-day trail ride in 1967 has grown into a massive nine-day gearhead festival. If you love off-road, don’t miss this event.
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