When the Jeep® design team heads out to the rocky trails of Moab, Utah, every year, the time spent off-roading and interacting with Jeep owners is actually work that looks like a lot of fun.
For the past 17 years, the Jeep brand has had an official presence at the Easter Jeep Safari, a worldwide gathering of Jeep owners in Utah.
“We love coming to be with our people, our enthusiasts, people who just love off-roading and Jeep,” said Mark Allen, Head of Jeep Design, FCA – North America. “We learn so much coming out to Moab.”
Jeep® Jeepster Concept
These visits were indeed helpful in the development of the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler.
As Jeep aficionados showed off their vehicles in town and took to the surrounding trails, members of the Jeep design team were taking in “as much as we could,” Allen said.
They observed the various enthusiasts driving Jeep vehicles, how they modified them and for inspiration.
“It’s important to stay connected,” Allen said. “There is a lot of what we learned in Moab baked into the new Wrangler JL.”
Influences from Moab can found throughout the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler.
Some examples include:
- Jeep designers saw Wrangler owners replacing their plastic bumpers with steel bumpers for a winch and for higher clearance. After seeing the popularity of this feature, the newest Jeep Wrangler has a steel bumper with removable endcaps. It is available on the Rubicon model and the JK Rubicon.
- The vented hood is a direct descendent of concept vehicles shown at Moab.
- The convertible top and folding windshield are also inspired from Moab.
Jeep® J-Wagon Concept
Learn more about the new Jeep Wrangler by visiting the Jeep website.
