Here Are Your Easter Jeep Safari Concepts for 2018

Jeep and Mopar have teamed up to create another round of concept vehicles for the annual Easter Jeep Safari. Now in its 52nd year, thousands of off-road enthusiasts will once again head to Moab, Utah, for a week of technical off-roading and dirt-related camaraderie. They’ll also get to see these 4x4s in the flesh. This year’s batch was a little less showy than the previous annum, but pursuing substance over style isn’t a terrible impulse when you’re planning on slamming a vehicle into boulders all day.

“Pushing the limit is something the Jeep brand is no stranger to and these seven new, exciting and capable concept vehicles are the latest example of that,” said Jeep head Mike Manley. “Every year, we look forward to introducing new concept vehicles and ideas to our enthusiasts. The Moab Easter Jeep Safari presents a unique and perfect opportunity to collect valuable insight from our most loyal customers.”

First up is the Jeep 4Speed, which sacrifices sheet metal in order to minimize weight. Jeep hacked off the less essential panels and replaced the rest with lightweight materials. Featuring a carbon fiber hood, high-clearance carbon fiber fender flares, and a carbon fiber rear tub with perforated aluminum panels, the 4Speed rides two inches higher than a stock Wrangler but is 22 inches shorter overall.

The wheelbase remains unchanged however, allowing for wicked approach and departure angles. It uses the new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It also features Dana 44 front and rear axles with a 4.10 gear ratio and 18-inch lightweight monoblock wheels equipped with 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires.

Next up is the Jeep Sandstorm. Fixated on baja blasts (the driving type, not the carbonated beverage), the Sandstorm has an upgraded suspension intended for hauling ass in sand without ruining its road manners entirely. Extending the wheelbase for high-speed stability, Jeep moved the front axle forward four inches and optioned a beefy longarm four-link suspension with track bar. The rear axle is moved back two inches, utilizing a triangulated trailing arm four-link suspension.

Dunes pass beneath a heavy-duty front and rear Dynatrac 60 axles with a 5.68 gear ratio, and 17-inch beadlock wheels with 39.5-inch BF Goodrich Krawler tires. Powered by a 6.4-liter V8 engine from Fiat Chrysler’s Mopar performance division, the Sandstorm uses a six-speed manual transmission and has more baja-inspired visual touches than are worth counting. Our favorites are the race-style fuel filler, KC Carbon series front auxiliary lights, and on-board compressor.

The Jeep B-Ute concept is probably our least favorite of the bunch, but FCA assures us it’s still ready for “the ultimate off-road adventure.” Equipped with the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Renegade-based B-Ute gets a lot of little extras, but the biggest helpers for trail-worthiness are the BF Goodrich T/A Baja Champion tires, 1.5-inch lift kit, and rock rails.

The roof rack also looks handy.

Jeep’s Wagoneer Roadtrip (top of the page) is a festival of nostalgia. But it too has had its chassis and drivetrain upgraded for off-road duty. The wheelbase is stretched by five inches and the body is updated slightly to accommodate the additional length — as well as the wider track and custom fender flares. The Roadtrip also has redesigned wheel wells, bumpers, integrated rock rails, and grille.

Powered by a 5.7-liter V8 and mated to a classic four-speed automatic transmission, the Wagoneer doesn’t muddle its heritage too much. However, its original 230 cubic-inch Tornado six was repurposed in the form of a valve cover toolbox. Off-road capabilities were improved via a boxed and reinforced frame, Dana 44 front and rear axles (with lockers), four-link suspension with coilovers, and 17-inch steel wheels wrapped in 33-inch BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain tires.

The Nacho Jeep is essentially an opportunity to showcase the Mopar brand’s Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) buffet. Brimming with add-ons, the Nacho is what FCA hopes you’ll turn your Jeep into when you have some extra cash lying around.

If JPP has it in the catalog, odds are good it’s on this 4×4. Theres a winch kit, lighting brackets with LEDs, rock guards, two-inch round-tube doors, a spare-tire hinge, and dark black accents everywhere, the obligatory cold-air intake, and two-inch lift kit featuring 2.5-inch-diameter aluminum shocks — just to name a few items.

Jeep’s Rubicon-based Jeepster subtly merges retro charm with modern hardware. Adopting the paint scheme and styling of the 1966 Jeepster, the new incarnation also utilizes plenty of items from the Jeep Performance Parts catalog. The hardtop has been chopped by two inches and the custom windshield was raked back 2.5 degrees to create a cropped, compact appearance.

A 2-inch lift kit and 2.5-inch diameter aluminum body shocks work with oversized, 37-inch BF Goodrich KO2 tires to raise the Jeepster above off-road obstacles. Beadlock-capable 17-inch wheels are accented by body-color matching Firecracker Red beadlock trim rings. Very nice overall, without going overboard.

The same could be said of the J-Wagon concept. Intended as a premium-styled vehicle capable of handling both trails and the urban jungle, the Sahara-based J-Wagon gets copper accents, a snorkel, and five-inch LED off-road lights. There is also a black Mopar grille, matching bezel body trim, and Brass Monkey-styled 17-inch wheels.

Camel-color Katzkin leather seats occupy the interior space with brown piping. It’s probably the most sedate vehicle in the Easter Safari lineup, but Jeep understands that not everyone intends to go coo-coo bananas on customization. Let’s call the J-Wagon the “respectable one.”

[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]