Every year, Jeep hosts a week-long festival in Moab, Utah for the Easter Jeep Safari. Mopar and Jeep took the opportunity to show off six customized vehicles, from simple accessory packages to a custom-built Forward Control Wrangler.
Jeep must build the Forward Control Jeep. Now.
Click through the gallery and see all six concepts.
Jeep Mighty FC Concept
The forward control Jeeps of the past are back, filling Jeep nerds everywhere with overwhelming pleasure. Under the skin it's a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, but with the cab shifted forward over the engine. Jeep invested $23,500 in the front and rear axles, and there are new suspension components, too.
2012 Jeep Wrangler Apache from Mopar
The Apache is a Wrangler with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 rated at an even 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft. of torque. There's just a five-speed auto now, but Jeep says a production Wrangler six-speed manual is coming. The chassis gets a lot of work, too, with new front and rear axles, a 4.5-inch lift, a winch, a new bumper, new wheels, and new fenders. And they cut all four doors in half for you.
Jeep J-12 Concept
Jeep already offers a pickup conversion kit for the Wrangler called the JK-8. The J-12 is basically an extended version of that kit, but with a custom front that looks like the old Jeep Gladiator pickups from the ‘60s. The J-12's frame gets an 18-inch extension, there are 36-inch tires on 16-inch wheels, and the suspension gets upgraded parts and a 3-inch lift.
Mopar Accessorized 2012 Jeep Wrangler
Jeep just wanted to show what the entire Mopar customization catalogue looks like on one car, so they put everything from new Dana 44 axles to windshield-mounted LED lamps onto a single Wrangler. There's every accessory imaginable, with all kinds of new cubbies and storage spaces, as well as up-rated suspension parts and 35-inch tires.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Concept
Jeep outfitted the Grand Cherokee for more off road driving trying not to ruin the SUV's ride on highways. New gray wheels come fitted with 18-inch Goodyear off-road tires, there's a new rear light bar, tow hooks front and back, and all the red/white/black trim and paint schemes you can possibly imagine.
2012 Jeep Wrangler Traildozer Concept
For the Traildozer, Jeep partnered up with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), the company that builds extreme survival vehicles for people preparing for the upcoming zombie apocalypse. They took the 470-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi from the Wrangler Apache, got a six-speed manual to work with it, and blew everything they could on the suspension. The highlights are new Dana 44 axles with electronic locking diffs, 37-inch tires, and a 3.5-inch lift. Oh, and there are leather seats.