Easter Jeep Safari

Just in case the latest Jeeps are not quite rugged enough for your taste, the US brand and its aftermarket arm Mopar have rolled out some equipment "showcases" for the Jeep faithful.

Jeep brand boss Mike Manley says its a good opportunity to test its wares and connect with customers.

"We are able to demonstrate and test new potential Jeep production and customisation ideas at our away-from-home proving ground, while getting instant feedback from our customers," he says.

The Easter Jeep Safari is organised by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers club and attracts thousands of 4WD enthusiasts to the town of Moab, Utah for the nine-day event.

With as many as 50 trails on offer with difficulty ranging from easy for a proper 4WD to tracks passable only with serious aftermarket modifications, the organisers say high ground clearance and a low-range transfer cases are expected.

There is also a retail side to the show for accessory and tyre makers to display their wares to those who use them - Jeep's marketing research says more than 30 percent of buyers in the market for a new vehicle are influenced by access to aftermarket accessories.

Mopar boss Pietro Gorlier says the aftermarket arm of Chrysler has almost 300,000 accessories for its range of vehicles.

"From full engine packages to slush mats, Mopar has everything for the avid off-roader. Mopar covers the spectrum with more than 280,000 proven quality-tested parts and accessories that allow customers to personalise their Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat vehicles," he says.

The two companies will also display a broad range of vehicles in Moab during the event that premiered there or at previous Specialty Equipment Market Association shows over the last year, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee Off-road Edition, Jeep Wrangler Mayhem, Jeep Wrangler Immortal, Mopar Camper Trailer, Jeep Wrangler Tan Man, Jeep Wrangler The General and a fully dressed military version of the Jeep Wrangler J-8 with turret and passenger mounted-machine guns.

Jeep Wrangler Pork Chop

The Pork Chop's claim to fame is more fun and performance via weight-saving tactics. Based on a Wrangler Sport, the Mopar crew removed the doors, roof, tailgate, bumpers, carpet and sway bars. The Pork Chop gets a chopped windscreen, a roll cage, aluminium replacement bumpers and an aluminium/carbon fibre bonnet. The engine benefits from the addition of an aluminium cold-air intake kit, an aluminium bash-plate and a new exhaust system. The interior is fitted with bright red lightweight Sparco seats. The 386kg weight saving increased the ride height a little but the Pork Chop was further lifted - to keep the body away from Mickey Thompson 35in Baja Claw tyres - using a Mopar lift kit and Bilstein dampers. The Pork Chop also has Australian-designed ARB air lockers front and rear differentials.

Jeep Compass Canyon

The Jeep Compass Canyon is the first modified model of the new car. The Canyon gets the Freedom Drive II electronically-controlled 4WD drivetrain, as well as a Rocky Road Suspension lift kit (with sway-bars removed) and Mickey Thompson Baja rubber on 16in alloy wheels donated by a Cherokee. The Canyon also has underbody protection, a cold-air induction kit, upgraded exhaust system and sports pedals, cat-back exhaust system, slush mats and a sport pedal trim kit.

Jeep Cherokee Overland

The familiar Overland nameplate has been bestowed on the Mopar-enhanced Cherokee Overland, with a 2.8-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder. It sits on an ARB lift kit and Old Man Emu dampers, Mickey Thompson tyres and has the Selec-Trac II 4WD system that can run in 2WD, with a variable or a locked low-range 4WD mode, with the added extra of an ARB air-locker-equipped rear-diff  on offer. There's also an ARB steel roof rack, a side awning, underbody bash plates and prototype rock rails. The wild paintjob is to help the vehicle "blend in with the wildlife - an update of the classic zebra safari pattern paint scheme."

Jeep Wrangler Renegade

For something that's more likely to scare the wildlife away, the Jeep Wrangler is again wearing the Renegade nameplate it made famous in the 1970s and you'll know it's coming. Underneath the bonnet is the all-new 354kW 6.4-litre HEMI V8 from the Chrysler Street and Racing Technology (SRT) skunkworks, hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission. The features list also includes front and rear ARB air lockers, a four-inch suspension lift kit to keep bodywork clear of massive 35in Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tyres. The bodywork has been dressed in a black and gold paint scheme reminiscent of the 1970s CJ5 Renegade.

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence

Mopar has looked back to the 1980s Scrambler CJ-8 to transform a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited into a two-seater ute with the JK-8 kit. The wild ute sits on 37in BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tyres and features Mopar off-road bumpers front and rear. The JK-8 kit includes bed floor, inner/outer body panels, half hard top and a new bulkhead.

Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush

Desert-racing has been in the minds of those who came up with the Jeep Wrangler Blue Crush - powered by a 402kW seven-litre HEMI V8 and sitting on a high-performance off-road suspension system and 39in tyres, there's also a Baja-style full cage, race seats, fuel cell and short aluminium bumpers.

Mopar Ram Runner

The Mopar Ram Runner kit for the Dodge Ram utility was also inspired by high-speed off-road desert racing, including large tyres, increased ground clearance and a race-bred long-travel suspension. The Ram, lightened by the use of fibre-glass panels in the rear tray, is propelled by a 5.7-litre HEMI V8.