If you aren't familiar with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, it is Jeep's best performing off-roader. When it was introduced, it became an instant hit with the enthusiast community. The option list read like the first mods a Jeeper would want to order up:
- Dana 44 axles front and rear
- Selectable, air-actuated locking axles
- 4:1 low range transfer case... heavy duty, too
- Heavy duty skid plates
- Bigger, more aggressive tires
- Nerf bars to protect the sides
And then there is the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It has been Jeep's most luxurious vehicle since its introduction... and a pretty good performer in the dirt in its own right. The Orvis Limited, only built for a couple of years, even featured a slight lift, tow hooks and the most aggressive tires ever put on a Grand Cherokee. Unfortunately, that was it...
What if?
Many of the components that make the Rubicon cool all but bolt-on to the Grand Cherokee. The axles, the transfer case, the tires... Everything else would be pretty simple. A couple of inches of suspension lift, rocker protection, beefier skid-plates.
With the Hemi V-8 available in the Grand Cherokee (which a LOT of Wrangler owners would LOVE to have), coupled with the hard-core off-road equipment from the Rubicon, wrapped up in a luxurious package, Jeep would have a major winner. If nothing else, it would get the journalist tongues wagging and a lot of attention for the brand.
Isn't that the purpose of concept cars?
Related articles
- 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo X 4×4: RideLust Review (ridelust.com)
- All-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Named 'SUV of Texas' by Texas Auto Writers Association (prnewswire.com)
- SEMA 2010: Jeep Grand Cherokee gets low-rider, off-road treatment (autoblog.com)
- Jeep Teases SEMA Concepts (ridelust.com)
Cool Concept Cars on LaneBailey.com
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