That’s why Easter is such a big deal. It’s when Moab, Utah, calls — specifically the Easter Jeep Safari, which, this year, the 58th, began Saturday and runs through March 31. The annual event is a time for the Stellantis brand’s designers to show off a bit with a few wild concept vehicles for the trail-riding celebration that is estimated to attract more than 20,000 enthusiasts.
For 2024, the brand has four vehicles to show (descriptions drawn from Jeep-provided materials and a virtual discussion):
- Jeep Low Down Concept is a modified Wrangler dressed in Poison Apple Red paint and powered by a “formidable 475-horsepower 6.4-liter 392 V-8 engine.” You can take a gander at the source of all that power through the carbon fiber hood and its “see-through” power dome. This Jeep stands tall with “massive 42-inch BFGoodrich Krawler 42×14.5R20 mud-terrain tires mounted on 20-inch beadlock wheels under its custom high-clearance carbon fender flares.” Its two exhaust settings are said to be either loud or totally obnoxious.
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Jeep Willys Dispatcher Concept brings a 375-horsepower plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe to the party painted in Element 115 Green “beautifully accented with the cream-colored steelies (wheels)” and offering a nod to the “nostalgia of the early post-war civilian Jeep.” The side of the hood features “WILLYS” lettering.
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Jeep Gladiator Rubicon High Top Concept is designed as a showcase for Jeep Performance Parts. It comes in Ginger Snap metallic paint with “retro-inspired” two-tone graphics. It’s powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and showcases a modified front bumper with a custom protective hoop above a Warn winch as well as rock rail power steps for ease of cabin entry.
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Jeep Vacationeer Concept is notable not just for its Spearminted exterior but also the thin wood grain stripe on the side, a nod to Wagoneers of old. It’s powered by a 3-liter Hurricane Twin Turbo 510 engine, promising to deliver 510 horsepower. A Redtail Overland Skyloft, with sleeping space for two, sits on top. Fashion designer Kiel James Patrick helped with the look of the front leather seats, which include fabric inserts and various Jeep images in a “charming New England-inspired pattern.”
More: Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer won’t shy away from Jeep name going forward
Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah brings 4 new concepts: What they are