Jeep rolled out a two-door pickup truck concept in Las Vegas this week that looks like it drove straight out of 1981, except this one packs a 470-horsepower Hemi V-8 and seats in the bed that spin around to face backward. The SRT Wrangler Scrambler Concept made its debut on Nov. 2, drawing crowds eager to see whether the off-road brand's wildest idea yet might someday reach dealerships.
A Tribute To An 80s Original
According to the Detroit Free Press, Jeep revealed the Scrambler at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show, an annual gathering where automakers and aftermarket companies flock to Nevada's deserts each fall to tease future products. The concept draws its name and inspiration from the 1981 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler, which similarly bolted a pickup bed onto a Wrangler-style body. Jeep's news release said the concept was built on a Wrangler foundation.
The concept is built atop a standard Wrangler foundation, according to a release from media.stellantis.com, channeling what the automaker calls the original Scrambler's spirit of adventure. It features an integrated pickup bed, a redesigned tailgate, unique fender flares and a structural roll cage, the same release states. Those swivel seats sit in the bed itself and can be removed entirely or rotated to face rearward, per the Free Press.
Independent Suspension Breaks With Wrangler Tradition
Perhaps the biggest engineering departure is under the front end. Stellantis calls the all-new independent front suspension a historic first for Wrangler, according to the same Stellantis release. The Drive reports the setup delivers 14 inches of travel up front and 15 inches in the rear, and that the independent front suspension was developed with the help of off-road racing champion Casey Currie, according to The Drive.
The outlet also reports the concept rides on beadlock wheels wrapped in 37-inch off-road mud-terrain tires from BFGoodrich, matching the Free Press's own count of 37-inch tires on the build. Under the hood sits a 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 rated at 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, the same report notes.
No Timeline, But Plenty Of Questions About Production
Whether any of this reaches a dealership lot remains very much unsettled. Jeep is seeking feedback on the concept.
Coverage elsewhere has offered conflicting signals about the concept's future. MotorTrend reports that Stellantis announced in May that the Scrambler SRT would join Jeep's lineup as part of a five-year plan and could arrive as soon as 2028, according to MotorTrend. The Drive predicts that the Scrambler SRT should arrive before 2030, while another Drive article says Jeep has given no timeline or price for the vehicle at all. Those accounts do not line up, and neither Jeep nor Stellantis has publicly resolved the discrepancy.
Mopar Insiders reports that Tim Kuniskis, who has been closely tied to the project, wanted direct feedback from Jeep fans about the concept, telling onlookers simply to tell him what you think, according to Mopar Insiders. In a separate conversation covered by Mopar Insiders, Kuniskis raised the possibility of offering independent front suspension across all Wrangler models but said he did not yet know whether Jeep would move forward, telling the outlet, “I don't know the answer.”
Jeep's Answer To A Crowded Off-Road Market
The SRT badge itself is associated with high-performance vehicles within Stellantis.
If the Scrambler SRT does eventually reach production, it would enter a field already crowded with off-road-focused trucks and SUVs. MotorTrend lists the Ford Bronco Raptor, Rivian R2, Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro and Land Rover Defender Octa as potential rivals. The Drive has separately reported that the Bronco's independent front suspension is one of the largest reasons it drives better on pavement than the solid-axle Wrangler, a gap Jeep's new concept appears designed to address.
