Every spring, thousands of Jeep lovers motor in to the off-road paradise of Moab, Utah, for the annual Easter Jeep Safari. And every year, Jeep greets them with exciting new concept vehicles, some outrageous and some intriguing.
They rarely turn into production vehicles. But there’s always fun in hoping they could. And some show off official Jeep Performance Parts you can buy to turn your Wrangler or classic Wagoneer into something as eye-catching as a concept car.
This year, the crop included restored classics, the electric future, and even the potential rebirth of the Jeep Scrambler.
Let’s break them down:
Jeep Magneto 3.0
For the third year, Jeep brought its thought-provoking Magneto concept.
The Magneto is an electric Wrangler as close to the gas-powered Wrangler as you can get. While most electric vehicles (EVs) attach their motors directly to the axles, the Magneto puts one where the gas-powered engine would go. It sends power through an actual 6-speed manual transmission, making this an EV with a third pedal.
Version 3.0 is all about power — now bumped up to 625 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque. The batteries are stuffed wherever they can fit, in four different places around the body.
This, a Jeep official tells us, is probably the Magneto’s last public appearance. Engineers think they’ve learned what they can from it.
Jeep Scrambler 392 Concept
The Wrangler we know and love today takes its inspiration from a U.S. Army vehicle developed in the early 1940s. But it didn’t take on the Wrangler name until 1986.
And if the classic Army Jeep is the Wrangler’s grandfather, the Jeep CJ is its daddy. The “Civilian Jeep” was built in many forms from the end of World War II to 1985. One of the most beloved and short-lived was the Scrambler. It was a stretched CJ, but you could remove the rear half-cab and have a small, open pickup bed.
This year, Jeep built a Wrangler Rubicon 392 into a Scrambler tribute. Engineers attached the last 10 inches of a Gladiator onto the Wrangler frame to make it. But it’s hardly a low-tech, backyard cut job. Extra-light carbon-fiber bodywork and an air suspension that adjusts the lift from 1.5 to 5.5 inches make it trail-capable.
Jeep Cherokee 4xe Concept
Just weeks ago, Jeep announced the end of Cherokee production after nearly 50 years. For the Safari, they built a tribute to the original Cherokee.
Some of the coolest cars in the world are what the industry calls resto-mods. Part restoration, part modification, a resto-mod updates a classic with some modern parts. They look as good as the vintage models they’re based on but can do things those cars never could.
For the 1978 Jeep Cherokee 4xe Concept, Jeep engineers tell us they bought an original Cherokee on Craigslist. They mated it to the chassis of today’s Wrangler 4xe. Inside, it looks like the Carter years — the included vintage toolbox and seats with no headrests are a perfect grace note. But under the hood is the plug-in hybrid powertrain of the Wrangler 4xe.
Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Concept
Can you call a paint job a concept? Jeep did. The 2021 color Tuscadero Pink was a wild sales success. This version looks a little darker to our eye. It adds a bumper from American Expedition Vehicles, a Warn winch, and the same adjustable air suspension as the Scrambler 392 concept, so it’s not a bone-stock, repainted Wrangler.
Jeep officials wouldn’t tell us whether a new pink was coming to the 2024 lineup. But they did tell us Tuscadero sold exceptionally well. And we assume they like money. So hopefully, this is a preview of a new configurator option coming soon.
Grand Wagoneer Overland Concept
This one takes the current Grand Wagoneer glamping. The outside is done in Industrial Green and Gunmetal. The rear seats have been removed, and the front set is done in plaid. But the obvious change is the hard-sided rooftop camper — a SkyLoft from Redtail Overland. It’s built of carbon fiber and glass and, Jeep tells us, unfolds in seconds.
Wrangler Departure Concept
Every year, the Safari includes at least one model that seems built solely to sell Jeep Performance Parts. Here it is for 2024.
The Departure uses a JPP 2-inch lift kit, Bilstein remote reservoir shocks, and tubular — everything. Tubular doors. A tubular rear gate with a spare tire carrier (designed to maximize departure angle, hence the name). Even a tubular brush guard that folds down to serve as a bench in the brush.
The flat fender flares aren’t officially for sale as a JPP product. But Jeep says they are legal in all 50 states, which may well be a hint they’re coming to the store.
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Sideburn Concept
What the Departure is to the Wrangler, the Sideburn is to the Gladiator. It even shares the fold-down bench up front.
We particularly like the JPP carbon-fiber-and-steel sport bar with integrated steps. You can use it to climb up to a high-mounted gear storage tray. A pair of liquid storage containers fit flush into the bedsides — red for extra gas, white for water.
