Jeep's 'Pork Chop' concept. Image: Chrysler Group, LLC.
Every year Jeep and Mopar work together to launch concept vehicles at the annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari. Last year we saw eight concepts, ranging from the mild (like the stripped but rugged Wrangler J7) to the wild (like the Jeep Nukizer pickup that everyone, myself included, wants to see in production). This year, Jeep has dialed things back a notch, perhaps because the budget is quite a bit tighter than in years past. Jeep’s leaked two images of Moab vehicles, but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they showed up with more at the event. So far, the coolest looking ride is the Pork Chop concept you see above. Ideal for blasting through sandstone canyons in springtime, the Pork Chop would be a bit drafty for winter duty in the Northeast. I’m loving the whole minimalist look, but I’m really digging the Torque Thrust style wheels, which look sick on the bare-bones Jeep. I say throw a bikini top on it and call it done; hell, I’d even give it some serious thought, since it’s not like we get snow in Jacksonville.
Jeep's Renegade concept. Image: Chrysler Group, LLC.
Next up is the “Renegade”, which looks like a standard Wrangler with a lift kit and some vinyl graphics at first glance. Look again, particularly at the hood. See that bulge? Something evil is lurking there, and I’m guessing it’s the 392 Hemi yanked from the new Charger / Challenger SRT-8. I know that such a Jeep has been built for “executive evaluation”, and I suspect that Jeep will use the annual Moab event to gauge customer reaction to a Hemi-powered Wrangler. Personally, I think the heavier 6.4 liter Hemi is overkill, but I could certainly see the 5.7 liter Hemi stuffed beneath the Wrangler’s fenders. If enough people like the idea of a Hemi powered Wrangler, this particular beast may see production in the not-too-distant future.
Source: Jeep, via Left Lane News
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
