Jeep shows off 7 awesome one-of-a-kind concept cars

At its 57th annual Easter Safari, Jeep showed off seven one-of-a-kind concept cars teasing advanced technologies that will eventually make it into its production models.

Electrification and big power were the main themes for the family of concepts, with one fully electric and three additional plug-in hybrids under the badge 4xe forming part of the introductions.

1978 Cherokee 4xe

Paying homage to the Cherokee SJ from 1974, Jeep reimagined the SUV with a modern twist.

The concept began life as a 1978 Cherokee which was married with the underpinnings and interior of a 2022 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe.

Subsequently, it boasts a 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol engine working alongside two electric motors, as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission mated to a 4:1 transfer case to give it tremendous pulling power through its 37-inch mud-terrain tyres wrapped around 17-inch “slotted mag” wheels.

The cabin features low-back leather bucket seats, a four-point safety cage instead of a rear bench, and a full-size spare wheel in the boot “just in case the trail gets a little too wild,” said the 4×4-focused brand.

Gladiator Rubicon Sideburn

The rough-and-tumble Gladiator bakkie wears a unique Solar Flash Yellow paint job and burly 17-inch rims covered in 37-inch BF Goodrich tyres in this Sideburn Concept.

At the front, it gets a customer tubular grille guard that folds down to create a “bench” and affixed to the bumper below it is a Warn winch to get out of trickier off-roading situations.

For the first time on a Gladiator, the Sideburn also gets heavy-duty cables attached to the top of the hood and connected to the windshield to direct loose branches and brush up and over the hood and windshield.

Additionally, the double cab sees removable LED light bars on top of the roof panels, as well as an exclusive sports bar made from carbon fibre and steel with integrated footsteps, rails, and tie-down spots.

The icing on top, the Sideburn boasts a bespoke bed with Molle panels above and behind the wheel flares for additional storage, RotoPax containers for liquid storage, and a bed-mounted full-size spare wheel carrier.

Grand Wagoneer Overland

With the idea of “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” in mind, the team at Jeep tailored the 2023 Grand Wagoneer – known as the Grand Cherokee in South Africa – for adventures in the great outdoors with the Overland Concept.

An incredible amount of appointments sets the concept apart from the standard SUV, such as a carbon fibre RedTail Overland Skyloft on top of the roof which “provides a climate-controlled oasis complete with a sleeping space for two people and enough windows to soak in even the most panoramic views,” said Jeep.

The automaker also removed the second and third-row seats for a “truck bed-lined cargo floor” that can handle dirt and grime better than the average carpet while offering much more storage space for all your Overlanding accessories.

Like the others, the Grand Wagoneer wears massive 35-inch tyres and 18-inch alloys that give it an extra 3.8cm of ground clearance, and it’s painted in Industrial Green with Gunmetal accents and a black “Rhino-line” roof.

It features a front winch, too, as well as custom LED laser lights for superior night-time visibility.

Scrambler 392

The Scrambler was Jeep’s first convertible and it initially saw the light of day in 1981.

Building on this pioneer, the Scrambler 392 Concept sports a massive 6.4-litre, V8 powerplant with 350kW and 637Nm paired with a lightweight body with custom carbon fibre panels for the ultimate experience in open-air off-roading.

One of the more noteworthy abilities, the Scrambler 392 features AccuAir air suspension made for the Wrangler and Gladiator which allows it to lift the body between 3.8cm and 14cm on the fly or via a long-range Bluetooth device.

The 392 Concept rolls on 40-inch tyres covering unique 20-inch rims, and gets an awesome see-through hood that parades the V8 in front of the entire world.

Wrangler Magneto 3.0

Introduced in 2001, the Magneto 1.0 was Jeep’s first full battery-electric vehicle “that was stealthy, quiet, quick, and an unmistakable rock-climbing force.”

21 years later, the Magneto 3.0 Concept continues the legacy with an in-house “axial flux” electric motor that allows the driver to switch between two power settings – standard and maximum.

In standard, the Jeep produces 213kW and 370Nm, and when maximum is selected, it spits out 485kW and a monstrous 1,220Nm.

Adding to its off-road prowess are Dynatrac 60 front and Dynatrac 80 rear axles, 20-inch beadlock wheels, 40-inch mud terrain tyres, and a 7.6cm lift.

The flashy paintjob then pays homage to all generations of the Magneto, the Bright White of the first, the Surf Blue of the second, and now for the third, the addition of red accents.

Wrangler Rubicon 4xe

Following the success of the limited-run Tuscadero exterior paint that was available on the 2021 Jeep Wrangler, the designers went all out and have come up with a new chromatic Magenta colour scheme for the Rubicon 4xe Concept.

The styling pack comprises a pink-hued paint with gloss black accents “sprinkled across the front grille and headlamp bezels”, along with a seven-slot grille that was borrowed from the Wrangler Rubicon 20th Anniversary model.

Above this is a custom hood graphic with a tone-on-tone print that ties into the cabin’s theme, and off-road capabilities are assured via the fitment of the AccuAir suspension kit, 17-inch gloss black Borah wheels with 37-inch tyres, a Warn Zeon winch, and American Expedition Vehicles front and rear bumpers.

Inside, the interior carries distinctive leather seats with splashes of magenta; magenta door pulls, grab handles, and gear shifter; gloss black leather accents; and a black patent leather dash panel adorned with a zipper trim that hides a layer of pink velvet just beneath.

Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Departure

The Rubicon 4xe Departure Concept takes the platform even further in terms of outdoor competence through the installation of “conceptual items” from the JPP by Mopar design team.

Chief among these is a 5cm lift kit with Bilstein performance shock absorbers, sitting behind 17-inch Vintage Bronze Impact OL wheels and 37-inch BF Goodrich tyres.

Like the Gladiator, the Rubicon features a fold-down tubular grille guard and a Warn winch up front, rectangular LED lightbars, Molle panels, and trail rails.

In addition, it received flat fender flares and wheel liners designed specifically for the sizeable circles they accommodate, tubular body protection, JPP tube doors, a convertible tube tailgate with a spare wheel holder, and all-weather cargo mats in the boot.