Jeep reveals Moab concept quartet

Thursday, 25 March 2021

The Easter Jeep Safari is kicking off next week in Moab, Utah, and Jeep has revealed its latest concepts a few days ahead of the event.

Four vehicles have been prepared for 2021, including the all-electric Magneto. The 4x4 was teased earlier this month and features four battery packs for a total of 70kWh with an 800-volt subsystem along with a single axial flux motor mounted to the transmission.

Power output is rated at 213kW/370Nm, which seems a little on the low side for an EV, at least in the torque area. According to Jeep, this is intentional, to make the Magento similar to drive to V6-powered Wranglers.

The Magneto is an all-electric Wrangler with a six-speed manual. That’s not a typo.

The Magneto also gets a six-speed manual transmission, which is weird (but very cool). Jeep says the motor would engage in regenerative power collection on clutch engagement to prevent rev hang in quick-shifting situations.

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In terms of off-road kit, the Magneto comes equipped with a JPP 2-inch lift kit, 17-inch Lights Out black metallic wheels with 35-inch mud-terrain tyres, custom roll cage, Mopar Rock Rails, steel bumpers with a Warn winch and a steel belly pan.

The only Gladiator on show is called ‘Red Bare’ and looks like Mopar just threw the kitchen sink at a bright red, diesel-powered, Rubicon-spec Gladiator.

It features a retuned eight-speed automatic for low RPM shifts, a 91:1 crawl ratio, Dana 44 front and rear heavy-duty axles with 4.88 axle ratios, 37-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tyres, factory steel bumpers with a Warn winch, and a front bumper grille guard. As mentioned, power comes from a 3.0-litre diesel V6 with 194kW/600Nm.

Moving on to the Orange Peelz, this Wrangler features half doors and a custom one-piece Freedom Top with a glass sunroof. Power comes from a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 with 209kW/347Nm, an eight-speed automatic, a cold-air intake and a new cat-back exhaust system.

Orange Peelz also rides on a two-inch lift with Fox shocks and 37-inch off-road tyres.

Finally, old-school Jeep fans will love this one. The Beach concept is a restomodded 1968 Jeepster, combining visual elements of the old model with a modern powertrain, that being a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder tuned for 254kW/500Nm.

It looks brilliant, with an elongated seven-slat grille, rounded headlights, a classic stamped tailgate and an upright windshield harking right back to the ‘60s. Pity it will almost certainly stay a concept.