Pair of upgraded Jeep Renegade concepts scoot into Detroit

Despite all its many marks of off-road machismo like big round lights, a vertical, seven-bar grille, and squared-off fenders, the 2015 Jeep Renegade is, well, adorable. For its part, Mopar seems hell-bent on showing that it’s possible to make its whimsical crossover into a manly ride, starting this week at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, where it is showing two different takes on the Renegade, one for the city, one for the jungle, each containing a mix of concept and production pieces.

Based on the Renegade Trailhawk, the not-so-cleverly named “Off-Road Mopar-equipped Jeep Renegade” is rendered in a glossy “Commando” production green paint with a cool matte black roof trim that meets the window pillars to create a targa-like appearance. Also making an appearance is a concept Mopar roof basket, as well as full matte black and neutral gray lower body cladding and a quartet of matte black concept wheels. The interior is gussied up with concept-only green, gray and satin black accents, while the seats are covered in Katzkin-leather production Mopar seats.

And then there are the appliques: large, gray and white Jerry-can-inspired “X” graphics on the doors and a topographical hood graphic depicting the Detroit landscape, sans buildings and roads. Jeep says that the latter has proven to be a particularly popular accessory since it was introduced last year, so here we have it again, adding some relief to this most rugged of Renegades.

No such whimsy is found anywhere on the “Urban Mopar-equipped Jeep Renegade,” only a strictly conceptual and rather jarring color scheme featuring an “Anvil” gray base color offset by a shocking “Omaha” orange paint accents on the grille, wheels, taillamps, roof rails, and wheel pockets. Built from a Renegade Limited 4X4 model, the Urban Renegade also features Katzkin leather seats and gets a smattering of conceptual orange interior accents, while a Mopar bike rack will hang out on the trailer hitch.

While we still can’t quite envision Arnie trading in his Hummer for one of these, they are both big steps in the right direction.