2022 Easter Jeep Safari debuts off-road concepts

The 2022 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah has kicked off for its 56th year, showcasing a number of concept cars from the American off-road brand.

Jeep brought a handful of brand-new and previously-seen concept cars to the event, headlined by the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 Concept – the latest to display the company’s electric powertrain technology.

Unlike the majority of battery-powered cars on the road, the Jeep Wrangler Magneto 2.0 doesn’t use electric motors to drive the wheels directly, instead replacing the internal-combustion engine with an e-motor to keep the six-speed manual transmission and low-range gearbox in situ.

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While the original Magneto concept from last year produced a healthy 213kW and 370Nm, this year’s 2.0 has upped its output to 466kW and an astonishing 1153Nm of torque in bursts of up to 10 seconds.

Jeep claims only two seconds are needed for the Magneto 2.0 to hit 97km/h (60mph) from a standstill.

An extra 305 millimetres has been added to the car’s wheelbase to accommodate powertrain components, while a custom 76mm lift kit, Dynatrac 60 Pro-Rock front axle and Dynatrac 80 rear axle, front and rear differential lockers, and 40-inch off-road tyres on 20-inch wheels help the concept to clear Moab’s boulders.

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Rock-crawlers may be the centre of attention at the Safari, but Jeep also brought along a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk PHEV Concept, based on the upcoming plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokee 4xe.

Jeep says the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk PHEV Concept has completed the 35 kilometre Rubicon Trail off-road track in electric-only mode, using nearly all of its 40km of its electric driving range.

When the battery is depleted, the vehicle can revert to its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

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A sway-bar disconnect system allows greater wheel articulation, while air suspension allows the Grand Cherokee to increase its ground clearance.

Also on show is the Jeep ‘41 Concept, an homage to the company’s roots, with a retro livery designed to look like the original Willy’s GP (Jeep) from World War II.

The Jeep Rubicon 20th Anniversary Concept is a celebration of the model’s 20 years, adding a Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) 50mm lift kit, 17-inch Mopar beadlock-capable wheels with 37-inch mud-terrain tyres, Warn winch, and a number of other off-road parts to a V8-powered Rubicon 392.

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Making its debut at the Safari is the Jeep Bob Concept, which is essentially an extra-cab Gladiator ute with a bobtail tub.

The concept does away with doors and a roof, instead adopting an orange fabric bimini top, adding to the orange theme inside and out.

Jeep Performance Parts brought along two concept cars – the first called the D-Coder, showcasing more than 35 JPP and Mopar parts and accessories.

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Along with its tube doors and striking red livery, the D-Coder has QR codes which link to the Mopar eStore or JPP catalogue, displaying part numbers and prices for quick reference.

The second was the Jeep Birdcage Concept by JPP, which presented as an “extreme 4x4 machine” with a variety of off-road parts designed to improve the Wrangler’s capability.

Three concept cars which originally made their debut at the famous SEMA show in 2021 were also on hand, including a 1967 Kaiser Jeep M725 military ambulance converted into a mobile bar, and the Jeep Wrangler Overlook concept – which turns the model into a three-row luxury off-road machine.

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“Easter Jeep Safari is the perfect opportunity for the Jeep brand to push the limits of four-wheel-drive development and, most importantly, to stay connected with our customers,” said Jim Morrison, Senior Vice President and Head of Jeep Brand North America.

“Moab is a rite of passage for many Jeep owners, and to own a Jeep is to truly understand the lifestyle – it’s what the Jeep brand is all about,” he said.

“From a fully capable BEV off-roader to rugged and powerful terrain tacklers, every concept is a true reflection of what our customers tell us they want and give a taste of where the future of the Jeep brand and off-roading can go.”