Spotted: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Pickup Truck- No, It's Not a Gladiator

The vehicle shown in our top of page image is a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon pickup truck. Before there was a new Gladiator pickup from Jeep there were those individuals who knew that the Wrangler SUV chassis was ideal for expansion to a pickup. And they were ready to shell out big bucks to get it.

This is why American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) began producing them almost a decade ago. You may recognize the name AEV. It is the same company that partnered with General Motors and Chevy to create the Chevrolet ZR2 and Bison off-road performance pickup trucks.

The vehicle in our image is a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that has been modified. The wheelbase was lengthened ahead of the rear axle. In other words, in the middle of the vehicle. This allows AEV ample space to extend the passenger compartment and also add a pickup bed.

The actual name of the vehicle in the image is the "Brute Doublecab." However, as you can see from the image, it still rocks the Wrangler Rubicon badges. This is not a vehicle that pretends to be something it is not.

Like the new Gladiator Rubicon pickup, the Brute Doublecab is outfitted with serious off-road kit. Included are full rock rails surrounding the entire body sections. You won't find that on a mall crawler. There is also a snorkel for dusty area driving, a heavy-duty front bumper with integrated winch, a tonneau cover, and many more added features.

We stopped at the Common Man Joe coffee shop in Hooksett New Hampshire to chat up the owner. He was super proud of his Brute Doublecab, and shared with us that only 35 were produced in 2018. His is number 29, and was the only one in that beautiful copper paint color. In New Hampshire, citizens of the Live Free Or Die state can create any plate they wish. We have opted not to share the owner's plate with our readers out of respect for the privacy of the owner, but we can tell you it was perfect for the vehicle's personality.

If you spot a unique vehicle like the Jeep Wrangeler pickup from AEV on the road, safely snap an image and send it to us via the "Contact Us" tab at the bottom of our website. We will do our level best to identify and cover it in a short story.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. Following his engineering program, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin

Image by John Goreham was taken with a Samsung Galaxy S9 with no filters. It has been slightly edited for contrast and brightness. Re-use with permission only.