Jeep Vacationeer Concept Leads Four New Off-Roaders Into 2024 Easter Safari
It's that time again. The Easter Jeep Safari is back for 2024 and a quartet of new concepts will join thousands of Jeep owners in Moab, Utah for off-roading fun. Every year Jeep brings radical new concepts to the event and this year is no different. Headlined by the Jeep Vacationeer Concept, the new off-roaders also include a Jeep Low Down Concept, a Willys Dispatcher Concept, and a Gladiator Rubicon High Top Concept.
These new Jeep concepts aren't as cool as last year's, which included an incredible 1978 Jeep Cherokee with a modern hybrid powertrain and a 650-horsepower electric Wrangler called "Magneto." However, they're still pretty cool.
Jeep Vacationeer Concept
As you might imagine from the name, the Jeep Vacationeer is based on the Wagoneer, which was then transformed into a retro-styled off-road camper of sorts. Its mint green paint, with a thin stripe of wood paneling, gives it retro vibes without overdoing it, and it comes with a solar-powered, climate-controlled, carbon fiber RedTail Overland Skyloft roof tent. But it's also a proper off-roader, with 701 Method bead grip racing wheels, 35-inch BFGoodrich mud-terrain tires, bumper-mounted lights, and roof-mounted lights.
Fashion designer Kiel James Patrick designed the interior, giving it Tupelo leather seats with red and yellow plaid inserts that have little Jeeps on them. The Vacationeer also lacks rear seats of any kind, for more storage. What it doesn't lack is power, thanks to the high-output version of Jeep's Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six making 510 horsepower.
Jeep Willys Dispatcher Concept
It wouldn't be a Jeep event without getting the Willys name in there somewhere. This time, it's the Willys Dispatcher Concept, which is said to invoke the "nostalgia of the early post-war civilian Jeep," according to Jeep. However, it blends that nostalgia with modern tech, as it's based on the Wrangler 4xe hybrid.
The Willys Dispatcher might look retro cute, with its green paint and white steel wheels, but it's a serious off-roader underneath. Those great-looking steelies are wrapped in 36-inch Super Traxion tires, it has a classic-look Warn winch, Dana 50 Avantech front and rear axles, and an onboard air compressor.
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon High Top Concept
Designed to show off Jeep Performance Parts (JPP), the Gladiator Rubicon High Top is the most kitted-out Gladiator I've ever seen. Dana 60 axles front and rear with matching 5.38:1 gearing, an AccuAir adjustable air suspension, and monster 40-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A Ko3 tires wrapped around KMC Grenade Crawl beadlock wheels make it probably the most capable off-roader Jeep is bringing to the Easter event.
It also gets a modified front bumper by American Expedition Vehicles, a Warn winch, Rock Slide Engineering rock rail power steps, and a DECKED trunk bed storage system. Making it look snazzy is a two-tone Ginger Snap metallic paint scheme.
Jeep Low Down Concept
Jeep just announced that the Wrangler 392 is heading off to the junkyard in the sky, but not before the brand makes a monster Easter concept out of it. The Low Down Concept pays tribute to the Wrangler Lower 40 concept from the 43rd Easter Safari held 15 years ago.
The old Lower 40 concept put 40-inch tires on a Wrangler with stock suspension, to keep the center of gravity low. However, Jeep went even further this time, sticking 42-inch BFGoodrich Krawler mud-terrain tires, wrapped around beadlock wheels, on a Wrangler 392 with stock suspension. To fit the massive tires, carbon fiber high-clearance fender flares were fitted, allowing the tire necessary clearance without raising the Wrangler's ride height. Dana 60 axles replace the stock 392's Dana 44 axles but no changes were made to the 392-cubic inch V8, which still makes 475 horsepower.
The 58th Easter Jeep Safari is running from March 23-31, so keep an eye out for more updates on what Jeep's new off-roader concepts are doing in Moab.
Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com