DETROIT - Just days after teasing us with the prospect of a V8 Wrangler, Jeep has whipped the covers off the production version of the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept.
As the most powerful Wrangler ever, the Rubicon 392 comes with FCA’s 6.4-litre V8 Hemi engine, which produces 350kW and 637Nm - enough, Jeep says, to haul it from zero to 96km/h in 4.5 seconds. That’s a cool 40 percent improvement over the current V6 Wrangler Rubicon.
Putting that power to the road is an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive system with Selec-Trac two-speed transfer case.
Also helping its ‘go anywhere’ cause are heavy-duty, wide-track Dana 44 axles with Tru-Lok electronic locking differentials and electronic front sway-bar disconnect. Furthermore the beefed up suspension system, with revised geometry, lifts the Wrangler by 50mm, while 33-inch off-road tyres on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels further enhance its off-roading ability.
All of this, Jeep says, allows the vehicle to confidently climb up and down steep obstacles with minimal throttle and braking input.
The Jeep also comes with a tri-level Hydro-Guide air intake system that can channel water away from the engine at a rate of 56 litres per minute.
Inside, the luxurious cabin boasts unique bronze stitching and Rubicon 392 embroidering on the seats and it’s also set apart by a new sports steering wheel with paddle-shifters. Infotainment is via a 21.3cm Uconnect system, which includes Off-road Pages that allow drivers to monitor things like pitch, roll, altitude, GPS coordinates and power distribution.
Sadly, it appears that Fiat Chrysler is only planning to build the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 in left-hand-drive guise, which means it will remain forbidden fruit for South African Jeep fans.