New design sketch suggests a two-door ute is on the cards for Jeep's annual fan fest
Jeep has teased two new concepts ahead of its annual fan meet next month, the 57th Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah on April 1.
The first is a design sketch showing a two-door, short-wheelbase ute based on the Jeep Wrangler.
Featuring bright fluorescent green paint, the Jeep Gladiator ‘shorty’ concept features fastback rear pillars, making it more ‘lifestyle’ than hard-core off-roader.
Not pictured is a rollover hoop that’s expected to feature a pair of driving lights, but the massively pumped-up wheel-arch package suggests the latest Jeep concept will pack plenty of visual punch when it’s revealed.
Without any visible hinges on display, the concept appears to have been designed to be deliberately doorless.
Sadly, under the bonnet you won’t find the Wrangler Rubicon 392’s 6.4-litre HEMI – not because the 351kW/637Nm V8 won’t fit but because the concept is tipped to be based around the car-maker’s latest plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Producing 280kW and 637Nm of torque, the 4xe system combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with two electric motors, a 400v 17.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an eight-speed auto.
The result is a Wrangler that should be able to average 4.7L/100km and cover up to 40km of pure-electric power alone.
The second concept its thought to debut new components set to become available via the Jeep Performance Parts division, at least in the US.
Looking like it’s based on the current Wrangler Rubicon, the concept appears to preview new tube-section doors and what looks like a new roof rack.
More teasers and details on both concepts will be released in the build-up to the reveal of both concepts at the Easter Jeep Safari next month.
Keyword: Jeep Wrangler Gladiator ‘shorty’ teased