While most of the modern car market is filled with SUVs, off-road capabilities aren't a priority with manufacturers, leaving brands like Jeep with a monopoly over the segment.
The years of smooth sailing that Jeep has had here are about to come crashing down as Ford gears up to unveil the highly-anticipated revived Bronco on Monday. So Jeep has done something about it.
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Introducing the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept, the first Wrangler ever to make use of a burly Hemi V8 engine, and put a scary amount of power down through those beefy off-road tyres.
In this application, the 6.4-litre pumps out a healthy 335kW and 610Nm of torque. Which is a significant gain over what the standard 3.5-litre Pentastar V6 produces, and allows the Wrangler to hit 100km/h in under five seconds.
Just last year, all hopes of a V8-powered Wrangler were dashed as the brand revealed that safety and space issues were preventing it from happening. Upon the Bronco announcement, those issues must've ironed themselves out, as this is a very real concept.
According to the release, the frame has been modified to allow the 392 V8 to sit in the engine bay, and still leave enough space for a crush zone in the event of an accident. Other significant modifications include engine mounts, suspension, and front and rear locking differentials.
If you couple these changes with bead-lock wheels, bigger axles, and a two-inch lift, you're left with a truly terrifying behemoth that can tear up the pavement just as well as it can the dirt.
Before you dust off those checkbooks, it's worth noting that this 392 concept is just a concept for now, and Jeep might keep it that way. But the press release does state that "the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept is an indication [that fans] may soon get their wish."
Considering that this is the first time Jeep has ever talked about offering a factory V8 in the Wrangler, this is a massive moment for the most American off-roader that has ever existed.
Let's just hope that they follow through.