Mopar Underground unveils new tuned up Jeeps at the Moab Jeep Safari '08

[TerryMason]

Mopar® and the Mopar Underground team showcased their customized Jeep® vehicles and Dodge trucks at Moab Jeep Safari 2008 in March.

Simon Boag, President – Service & Parts/Mopar, Chrysler LLC - “We wanted our core off-road customers to talk about their vehicle usage so we can address their unmet needs and identify emerging product trends to better support their off-road adventures. Mopar prepped several vehicles for Moab Jeep Safari to gauge consumer feedback and reaction.”

Overseen by Ralph Gilles, Vice President of Jeep/Truck & CFM Design, Chrysler LLC, the Mopar Underground design team has been customizing production vehicles since its creation in 2002. The Mopar Underground design team creates vehicle concepts meant to develop performance parts, accessories and customization as well as new vehicle concepts.

“We try to push the boundaries of conventional thinking—customizing with no limits to creative expression and freedom, just the power to imagine. We want to build customized concept vehicles that flex the potential in our platforms, show that Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles are indeed designed for customization and keep the Mopar spirit and passion alive,” said Gilles.

[TerryMason]

This black JK is called the "JKL" and it has a 110-inch wheelbase, 37-inch tires, a 4-inch suspension lift and a lusty 6.1L Hemi V-8. The “JKL” premiered at Moab Jeep Safari 2008.

[TerryMason]

The interior of the Jeep Wrangler All-access has been upgraded with premium materials and paint. To give it “trail and off-road” credibility, the designers vamped it up with Mopar Performance Parts including a Rubicon Express 4-in. suspension lift, front and rear bumper with tire carrier, rock rails, cold air intake and a Warn 9500ti winch. American Expedition Vehicles supplied its new Pintler sheels. Power comes from the 3.8-liter V-6 engine. Painted “Surf Blue,” the “All-access” also features 35-in. BFG Mud Terrain tires. The “All-access” premiered at the 2007 SEMA Show but it's being trotted out again to highlight a new mod; the upcoming "MILITARY-SPEC" and "performance-upgraded" Dana 60 rear axle that will be available through Mopar Performance.

[TerryMason]

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon takes the already off-road benchmark Jeep Wrangler to a whole new level, this Wrangler represents the best of the best of what Jeep has to offer. The interior of the “50K JK” features custom Katzkin leather seating from Mopar, GPS navigation system and satellite radio.

Plenty of power and traction comes with the 3.0-liter CRD diesel engine under the hood that pushes 230 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque.
There are Tru-Lok-equipped Dana 44 axles underneath. Performance suspension lift allows clearance for 35-inch BFG Mud Terrain tires mounted on custom 18-inch aluminum wheels supplied by Taneisya.

The exterior features a Warn 9.5ti winch mounted on an American Expedition front bumper. A full-size spare is carried by a rear bumper from Mopar Performance Parts. Sprayed in Rolex Silver paint, it looks like a billion bucks.

The JK Unlimited Rubicon premiered at the 2006 SEMA Show.

	Tru-Lok Electronic-locking front and rear differentials balance speed between left and right wheels maintaining forward momentum for the ultimate in Wrangler traction. The instrument panel-mounted rocker switch can lock the rear, the front, or both axles.

[TerryMason]

The Jeep Wrangler “J8 Sarge” is a military version of the new JK platform built as a non-combat military support vehicle. Built from the 116-inch wheelbase version, the “J8 Sarge” is offered in either two-door or four-door configurations. Special J8-only structural upgrades in the body and chassis combine to increase the GVWR rating to 7,400 pounds.

The platform can be configured as a light-troop carrier, ambulance or cargo truck. Other notable features include the Dana 60 rear axle mounted on leaf springs, larger front-disc brakes and exclusive J8-only 17 x 8 steel wheels with a larger 5 x 5.5-inch bolt pattern. The rear differential is equipped with Trac-Lok limited slip device (the front is open).

The powertrain is the VM 2.8-liter 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 158 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The four-wheel-drive system is the Command-Trac with both high and low-range gearing.

Other features unique to the “J8 Sarge” are heavy-duty steel bumpers each equipped with two forged military-spec 'helicopter hooks' (rated at 1.5 GVWR each), a hood-mounted air intake snorkel, dual rear-mounted battery boxes and heavy-duty spring hood latches.

The “J8 Sarge” has been upgraded with 1.25-inch Superlift front coil spacers, BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain tires and custom cargo top. It’s painted olive drab with military markings.

The Jeep J8 is manufactured in a Chrysler LLC joint-venture facility in Cairo. There are currently no plans to offer the J8 for retail sale in the North American market. The “J8 Sarge” premiered at Moab Jeep Safari 2008.

	Command-Trac The NV241 GII transfer case uses 18 bolts to increase structural stiffness and effectively double the sealing capability. Command Trac is a registered trademark of Chrysler Motors LLC.

[TerryMason]

A Liberty like no other, this KK has a rear ARB Air Locker, rock rails, brushguard, cat-back exhaust, 33-inch tires and a 2-inch lift. Will the Liberty now get some RESPECT?

	Locking Differential Provides even more traction than a limited-slip differential by “locking” the axle shafts together when the driver wants to do it. Locking differentials do not allow for wheel-speed differences and must not be used on dry, paved roads.

[TerryMason]

An amplification of Jeep's most capable off-road machine. Taking full advantage of the 4:1 ratio Rock-Trac transfer case and Tru-Lok-equipped Dana 44 axles, the JK Rubicon King utilizes massive BF Goodrich 37 x 12.50-17 TA Krawler tires mounted on Hutchinson beadlock wheels from Mopar.

Superlift Suspension provided the 4-in. lift for extra ground clearance. Warn-supplied the new 9.0 RC Rock Crawling Winch. Featuring a six-speed transmission, power is provided by the 3.8-liter V-6 engine under the hood.

Custom features include relocation of the spare tire where the back seat used to reside, fender flares and grille trimmed for extreme clearance, trick lighting, military spec tow shackles and radio delete plate. Other features include American Expedition vehicle's new heat-reduction hood and rear corner guards.


The “JK Rubicon King” premiered at the 2006 SEMA Show and traversed the trails at Moab Jeep Safari 2007.

	Transfer Case Mounted behind and driven by the vehicle transmission, the transfer case transmits power to the front and rear driveshafts in 4WD Jeep vehicles and offers high and low range.

	Rock-Trac Wrangler's super-tough, Rock-Trac(R) part-time 4WD system includes Tru-Lok(R) front and rear lockers and a super-slow 4:1 gear ratio. A 4:1 low-gear allows Wrangler to crawl at lower speed for greater control and multiplies the amount of low torque available at the wheels. Rock-Trac and Tru-Lok are registered trademarks of Chrysler Motors LLC

	Tru-Lok Electronic-locking front and rear differentials balance speed between left and right wheels maintaining forward momentum for the ultimate in Wrangler traction. The instrument panel-mounted rocker switch can lock the rear, the front, or both axles.

[TerryMason]

Built from the military version of the all new Jeep Wrangler, the Jeep
Wrangler JT showcases just how flexible this new platform can be. Revealed
at the 2007 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab [Utah], it dominated the steep
climbs and descents on the slopes of the Hell's Revenge trail. Its 4x4
capability was established as it negotiated the slick hot tubs and
waterfalls -- at times, almost completely vertical to the ground.
Beginning with the new 116-in. wheelbase platform for the Wrangler
Unlimited, the design team managed to create a very nimble, trail-savvy
Jeep with a 5-ft. pickup bed and an easy-to-handle removable hardtop.
Off-road enhancements include:

-- 3-in. suspension lift provided by Superlift
-- 35-in. BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires
-- Rear bumper and tire carrier from Mopar
-- Front bumper from Mopar
-- Warn 9500ti winch

[redrooster]

I would like to see the engine and coil spring suspension of the black one in a 116" wheelbase model. Where do I sign the papers?
Did they trick out any 4 door models?
Those Hutchinson rubicon lookin wheels are sweet.

[Utah_jeepster]

Originally Posted by TerryMason

A Liberty like no other, this KK has a rear ARB Air Locker, rock rails, brushguard, cat-back exhaust, 33-inch tires and a 2-inch lift. Will the Liberty now get some RESPECT?

Not until it looses the IFS and gains a real motor.

[Red Neckerson]

Originally Posted by Utah_jeepster

Not until it looses the IFS and gains a real motor.

Not a Liberty fan, but it does look better than previous models.


I'm very impressed with the rest! JKL.. gotta love the Hemi

[southtj]

Mopar Underground customized Jeep vehicles at Moab

[JeepMonkey]

If that video was designed to make me dizzy it did! :)