Jeep’s Annual Easter Safari Features Five Concepts Looking Forward and One to the Past

With spring finally on its way, serious SUV fans are getting ready to hit the trails. The folks at Jeep have one specific off-road adventure in mind, planning some fun and adventure with the six new concepts it’s bringing to the 60^th Annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. Headlight.News had a chance to check them out ahead of the trip.

With two major holidays coming up early next month, millions of Americans are planning to be home with their families. But for some, the arrival of spring brings a sense of adventure drawing them to the wide-open spaces.

That includes the folks at Jeep, many of whom are planning to head out to Moab, Utah to meet with thousands of loyal fans for the 60^th annual Easter Jeep Safari. And they’ll be hitting the trails in the requisite collection of off-road concept vehicles.

“Moab isn’t just a place we visit,” said Bob Broderdorf, the Jeep CEO. “It’s a proving ground.”

Hitting the ground running

“Easter Jeep Safari has shaped the Jeep brand for decades,” the Jeep boss explained, “fueling the evolution of our 4×4 vehicles and strengthening our bond with the community and the thousands of passionate Jeep enthusiasts who return year after year.”

Unlike the concept vehicles you’ll typically see at an auto show, the ones Jeep brings to Moab each year are real “runners,” largely based on the latest Jeep products and using an array of parts and accessories already available in the Mopar parts catalog. The one exception? This year’s Pioneer XJ Concept which started out as a near mint condition 1986 Cherokee that got a makeover for the trip.

That’s not surprising. With the Safari concepts, Jeep aims to keep owners loyal to the brand and show them how they can customize their SUVs, new or old. Of course, these one-offs may also offer a hint of special editions to come. Here’s a look at what Jeep’s got in store for the trip this year.

Jeep Wrangler Anvil 715 Concept

What happens when you take the familiar Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and transform it into the ultimate overlanding adventure vehicle? Taking some tips from the earlier Bug Out Concept, the Jeep product team came up with the Hemi-powered Anvil 715, evolving the SUV into “a more refined, boundary-pushing expression.”

Anvil 715 gets a non-removable roof, appropriate for overlanding and topped by an integrated roof rack meant to handle extended trips off-road. The nose of the concept was restyled to pick up on the look of the old 1960s-era SJ-series Jeeps. Other features include auxiliary front and rear-facing lights, heavy-duty steel bumpers, and an integrated onboard air system to permit quick tire adjustments out on the trail. The interior has been updated to improve comfort on long days off-grid, with a specially modified trail-mapping system integrated into a dedicated screen on the IP.

Jeep Wrangler Buzzcut Concept

As the name suggests, Jeep designers took a buzz saw to the roof of this Wrangler – but they then raised it two inches, so it stands roughly as tall as the stock SUV. They also pulled out Buzzcut’s back seat, replacing it with a Diabolical Slipstream security enclosure with a lockable drawer storage system. The results? An “adventure machine, with extreme capability and expanded storage for longer excursions.”

Powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-four, this bright orange concept Jeep got a 2-inch lift, with an added steering stabilizer. It rides on 17-inch beadlock wheels with 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3 all-terrain tires. Flat fenders and wide rock rails ensure it can take on just about any trail, while steel bumpers minimize the risk of damage up front. An integrated rear bumper step makes it easy to access the additional storage mounted atop Buzzcut’s reinforced roof rails.

Jeep Wrangler Laredo Concept

What happens if you strip a Wrangler “down to its essentials, then turn the intensity back up”? That’s what Jeep had in mind with the Laredo Concept. The idea was to get rid of anything that doesn’t contribute to its raw, off-road capabilities.

The Laredo Concept’s power top has been replaced by a manually operated spatter-coat hardtop with a Sky Slider. The Laredo Concept’s suspension has been raised two inches for better off-roadability. It rides on 37‑inch BFG KM3 tires mounted on 17‑inch retro‑style slotted mag wheels, inspired by classic off‑roaders. The interior takes a back-to-basics approach. But it does come with a tailgate-mounted onboard air system. Don’t be surprised to see this concept have a direct impact on the look – and capabilities — of future Laredo Jeeps.

Jeep Grand Wagoneer Commander Concept

The annual Easter Safari brings thousands of Jeep owners out to Moab and, said Vince Galante, Vice President, Jeep Global Design, they could have a big influence on what Jeep rolls out in the future. “We get a lot of knowledge out of Moab that you can’t get from design school.” That’s particularly useful when trying to learn what you might do with product lines like the full-sized Grand Wagoneer which is less likely than the compact Wrangler to head out off-road.

With the Commander Concept, “We wanted to take a ground-up approach,” added designer Chris Piscitelli. Upgrades includes 20-inch wheels shod in 35-inch all-terrain tires, custom skid plates, SPOD lighting and a custom roof rack. Both the rack and side panels are covered with a topographic map picking up on Moab ‘s rocky terrain.

Jeep Gladiator Red Rock Concept

What happens when tens of thousands of off-roaders descend each year on a place like Moab? It can get pretty messy if you don’t have guardians like the Red Rock 4-Wheelers, a group of volunteers who help look after the trails that carve through the canyons. The group has also taken on the responsibility of managing Jeep’s Easter Safari since 1982. To honor the role of the 4-Wheelers, Jeep and its Mopar parts division came up with this heavily customized Gladiator.

Powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar engine, the concept pickup gets a number of mods specifically designed for the Moab badlands. That includes 17-inch beadlock wheels paired with 37-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires, a steering stabilizer, a steel front bumper with an integrated Warn winch and 7-inch TYRI lights. Add a Rock Krawler 3-inch lift kit, wide rock rails and door sill guards and a Bedslide rolling truck bed cargo bay. The Armorlite flooring allows easy wash-out and an ARB onboard air system helps support rescue and recovery work.

Jeep XJ Pioneer Concept

To complete this year’s Safari concept contingent, the Jeep team wanted to come up with a restomod based on the original XJ-Series. And they found the perfect Cherokee to start with, a 1986 “Experimental Jeep” that showed barely any wear despite four decades of hard driving. The challenge was to see just how far the team could go without losing the purity of the original Jeep. “We didn’t want to overdo it,” said Aamir Ahmed, Jeep’s Head of Off-Road and EVs.

Of course, you didn’t expect the team to leave everything alone. The mods just require a bit of a closer inspection. To start with, the Pioneer Concept was raised 2 inches, with wider flares around the wheel wells – which showcase 33-inch all-terrain rubber mounted on 17-inch wheels. The XJ got new rockers and quick-disconnect anti-sway bars. The interior stays especially true to the era, down to the original cassette tape player and beaded seat covers. To add a little fun, the team threw in some nostalgic Easter eggs, including an early Apple Macintosh computer and even a 1980s era lunch box.