Chrysler 9 Concepts at 2010 Easter Jeep Safari

[Sheriff!]

The rough-and-tough Jeep and Ram brands are Chrysler’s strongest, with large fan bases and huge aftermarket support that comes from both outside firms and the company’s own Mopar division. Fortunately, it seems that Chrysler’s new Italian overlords realize this, as evidenced by the slew of Jeep and Ram off-road concepts unveiled at the Easter Jeep Safari at Moab, Utah, a hotbed of torturous off-roading.

Looking over the list of concepts, with names such as “The General,” “Nukizer 715,” and “ImMortal,” is like scanning the receipt from a rock-crawling shopping spree. But one vehicle in particular jumped out at us: the Mopar Ram Runner concept, a Ram-based pre-runner of sorts that portends a Mopar bolt-on kit that will be offered later this year as a counterpunch to the mighty Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.

Below, a rundown of the concepts, all of which show Chrysler’s still serious about gettin’ dirty:

Mopar Ram Runner

Based on a Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 and developed with help from the Dodge off-road specialists at KORE, the Ram Runner is designed to cover rough desert terrain at high speeds, thanks to the 14 inches of suspension travel front and rear provided by three-inch Fox internal-bypass shocks, similar to those found on the Raptor.

While we don’t have details on the kit yet, it will have to be extensive—and expensive—in order to reach pre-runner levels of performance. A significantly widened and reinforced front end with billet aluminum upper and chrome-moly steel lower control arms affords the massive increase in suspension travel—which actually is slightly greater than the Raptor’s. Bulging fiberglass fenders and quarter-panels make room for 35-inch General Grabber Competition tires on 17-inch wheels. The rear suspension, with a similarly widened track, appears to also one-up the Raptor, with the Ram 1500’s coil-spring layout providing better axle control versus Ford’s leaf-spring setup. Heavy-duty skid plates, off-road bumpers, LED off-road lights, and a six-point roll cage round out the tweaks.

We didn’t think Ford’s Raptor would have any honest competition in the market, but we smell a possible comparison test.



Mopar ImMortal

The Viper Snakeskin Green ImMortal concept is a four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with stupid-high levels of rock-crawling ability. It’s fitted with 42-inch Goodyear MTR tires and has undergone an AEV 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 conversion. There’s also a Mopar two-inch suspension lift, a special low-range transfer case, and prototype Mopar portal axles—which, as on the original Hummer H1, have gear-reduction assemblies in the hubs that provide an additional five inches of ground clearance. So equipped, the concept can crawl at a snail’s pace over large obstacles like, say, a rock cliff or your neighbor’s Sebring. Mopar Performance body armor helps protect the truck from damage, while off-road bumpers, a new AEV hood, and Mopar half doors, sun bonnet, and seat covers give the look of a proper trail truck.



Jeep Nukizer 715

Chrysler describes the Nukizer 715—which sounds sort of like the world’s most ultimate microwave—as an all-purpose vehicle that pays homage to the Kaiser M-715 military truck. Based on the (non-U.S.) military-issue, four-door Jeep J8, the Nukizer rides on a stretched 124-inch wheelbase and sports an AEV Brute pickup box made for a Wrangler conversion. A custom carbon-fiber front clip and Bestop softtop mimic the look of the original Kaiser. Underneath are a tweaked 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel, heavy-duty axles, ARB air-locking differentials, and 38-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires. A dual-rate front anti-roll bar, Warn winch and air compressor, and a Garmin GPS unit complete the mods. The Nukizer clearly has no chance of production, but it is very, very cool.



Ram PowerWagon

While the production Ram Power Wagon is a heavy-duty, four-door behemoth, Mopar’s PowerWagon concept takes the same go-anywhere theme and applies it to the lighter 1500 chassis with a standard cab and a stepside bed. Looking plenty mean in two-tone, black-on-white paint, the truck sports a Mopar four-inch lift and 40-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires. The Ram 1500’s coil-spring rear suspension provides better axle articulation than the heavy-duty truck’s leaf springs, Chrysler says, while various bumpers, guards, and plates offer greater chassis protection. We’ll take ours in black with a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, please.



The General

While not as extreme as the ImMortal, The General is a rock-crawling Jeep Wrangler outfitted with a custom Mopar 4.5-inch suspension lift, a retro flat-fender kit, beadlock wheels, and heavy-duty bumpers and skid plates. A stock 3.8-liter V-6 spins the 37-inch Goodyear MTR tires, with other extras including Mopar half doors and custom graphics.



Wrangler Trail Boss

Designed to showcase fixtures of Mopar’s trail catalog, the two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon–based Trail Boss sports a Mopar three-inch lift kit, half doors, and sun bonnet, as well as AEV off-road bumpers and hood and a Warn winch. Beadlock wheels keep the tires on the rims at low pressures, while Katzkin leather seats, slush mats, and a Kicker audio system add spice to your boonie-bashing. A 3.8-liter V-6 mated to a four-speed automatic sends power to the 35-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires.



Wrangler J7

Based on a four-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and designed to get dirty—and to be easily cleaned—the stripped-out J7 offers all the comfort of a military barracks. Carpeting, fog lights, aluminum wheels, and the audio system have all been jettisoned, and steel wheels and bumpers, a heavy-duty tailgate, and other military-themed accessories were fitted. A Mopar two-inch suspension lift and 35-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires give additional capability on the trail, while a 3.8-liter V-6 mated to a four-speed automatic turns the wheels.



Jeep Patriot Extreme

We can’t really take this one seriously, but Jeep claims the Patriot is “Trail Rated” and thus added a two-inch Rocky Road Outfitters suspension lift, 16-inch Wrangler wheels, and 225/75R-16 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires to create the Patriot Extreme. (Side question: Who’s the most Extreme Patriot? Certainly not Tom Brady; he’s all handsome and wears cardigans and is married to a model and stuff.) A Kicker audio system and a roof-mounted snowboard rack dress things up a bit, but we doubt the Patriot will conquer anything particularly extreme with the stock 2.4-liter four-cylinder and continuously variable transmission. More of an obstacle than an off-roader, this Patriot probably should be left at the trail head for emergency supply runs.



Mopar XJ Stroker

This one first popped up at last year’s SEMA show, but now it’s had the chance to get dirty. Not based on a new vehicle, the 2001 Jeep Cherokee–based Mopar XJ Stroker is meant to showcase the company’s new 4.7-liter inline-six crate engine. Designed as a direct bolt-in for 1991 to 2006 model-year Jeeps, the engine is built off of the venerable 4.0-liter inline-six and sold as a long block with crankshaft, rods, and pistons. Oversized tires help the Stroker keep up with the other Moab rigs—and perhaps crush the Patriot-based one—while Mopar tube doors, bumpers, and rock rails make it look really, really tough.




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