A Closer Look at the 2024 Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Gladiator Starring in the 2024 Easter Jeep Safari

Jeep is back at its “Happy Place” roaming the hardcore trails in Moab, Utah, for the 58th Annual Easter Jeep Safari. Thousands of Jeeps from all over the world converge in beautiful Moab to experience the latest in Jeep’s legendary off-roading. Jeep and its Jeep Performance Parts division of Mopar, created four rugged concepts for this year’s event. The 2024 Easter Jeep Safari runs March 23-31, 2024, in Moab, Utah.

The Easter Jeep Safari is truly Jeep’s time to shine. The company has expert drivers on hand to give off-road rides. Jeep organizes special mixer events. At the Jeep Ride and Drive registration tent, attendees can sign up to get behind the wheel in a Jeep vehicle with a professional driver for a trail drive out to Baby Lion’s Back or choose a shorter on-road test drive.

Four distinctive Jeep brand and Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) concept vehicles are making their debuts at this year’s event.

• The Jeep Wrangler Low Down concept, a tip of the hat to the Lower 40 concept from 2009, features the 392 V-8 engine
• The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Willys Dispatcher concept marries the advanced 4xe plug-in hybrid propulsion system with a throwback design theme that honors early post-war civilian Jeep SUVs
• The Jeep Gladiator-based High Top concept features a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 along with retro styling
• The Jeep Grand Wagoneer-based Vacationeer concept looks like a camper van and has the powerful Hurricane Twin Turbo 510 

Yesterday, we took a closer look at the 2024 Vacationeer concept based on the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Now, let’s look at the other concepts commanding attention in Moab.

Jeep Gladiator Rubicon High Top Concept

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon High Top concept, with its retro look, is designed to push the performance boundaries of the world’s most off-road capable midsize truck even further. The two-tone graphics harken back to the old school 1980’s, but the huge tires will definitely get attention. The Gladiator Rubicon High Top concept rides high on massive new 40x13.5R18 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 tires mounted on 18-by-9-inch Satin Black KMC Grenade Crawl beadlock wheels.

Huge JPP flat fender flares provide plenty of off-road clearance.  Dana front and rear axles with matching 5.38:1 gearing and an adjustable air suspension improve any off-road excursion. The  3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine, delivers plenty of low-end torque, essential for off-road capability. The Gladiator features a special American Expedition Vehicles bumper and Rock Slide rock rail power steps to make it easier to climb in and out.

Jeep Willys Dispatcher Concept Mixes Nostalgia and Electrified Future

The Jeep Willys Dispatcher is a Wrangler 4xe-based concept that invokes the nostalgia of the early post-war civilian Jeep. On the exterior, the Willys Dispatcher concept looks retro from the ground up. Super Traxion 36-inch tires are wrapped around vintage-style 16-by-7-inch alloy “steelies.” A custom front bumper houses a brand-new, classic-looking 8274 Warn winch.  WILLYS lettering is embossed into the sides of the hood. The exterior is painted in a custom shade of Element 115 Green.

Inside, the Dispatcher is a mix of distressed saddle leather and houndstooth cloth inserts. The front and rear headrests have been removed to give the seats the low-back vintage feel. A Jeep Performance Parts bikini top keeps passengers shielded from the weather.

While it may look retro, the Willys Dispatcher is powered by Jeep’s 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid 4xe system that delivers 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Dana 50 front and rear axles with 4.70 gears transfer all the power and torque to the Super Traxion tires.

Jeep Low Down Concept

According to Jeep, “Fifteen years ago, the Jeep design team wowed attendees at the 43rd annual Easter Jeep Safari with the radically modified Jeep Wrangler Lower 40.” The two-door Lower 40 accommodated huge 40-inch mud-terrain tires while packing a 5.7-liter V-8 under hood for massive power. The Lower 40 was considered an instant classic and still draws a crowd when on display.  

The new Low Down concept pays homage to the Lower 40. The new Jeep Wrangler concept features massive 42-inch BFGoodrich Krawler 42x14.5R20 mud-terrain tires mounted on 20-inch beadlock wheels. The Wrangler Rubicon 392 suspension is outfitted with Dana 60 axles with 5.38 gears. The Low Down’s center of gravity remains low, while the ground clearance, breakover, and approach and departure angles all get significant increases.  The Jeep Low Down is powered by a V-8 engine, however, this is the more powerful 475-horsepower 6.4-liter 392 V-8 engine. As I reported earlier, the 392 is being phased out in the Wrangler after this year.

2024 Easter Jeep Safari Features Test Drives for a Variety of Jeep Vehicles

Trail Ride Vehicles

• Wrangler Rubicon 4xe
• Wrangler Rubicon 392
• Gladiator Rubicon

Street/City Drive Vehicles

• Grand Wagoneer
• Wagoneer
• Grand Cherokee
• Wrangler
• Compass

Real World 4x4 Testing

Jeep has been using the Easter Jeep Safari outside Moab, Utah as a test lab of sorts for more than five decades. Jeep shows off the concepts that have been carefully planned by designers and off-road enthusiasts. Jeep sees how the concepts perform and are received by the fans and then some of the concepts or performance packages make it into the Jeep lineup. The gathering is hosted by Moab’s Red Rock 4-Wheelers club. It is one of the largest off-roading events in the world, with more than 20,000 people expected to attend.

Jeep Photos

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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