Jeep Honors the Past with 2024 Easter Jeep Safari Concept

As the 58th annual Easter Jeep Safari kicks off this year, Jeep, the off-road automaker, continues its tradition of creating concepts for enthusiasts to drool over.

On Monday, Jeep unveiled four concepts for the 2024 event, including two modified Wranglers, one Gladiator, and one Grand Wagoneer. Each concept gives a strong nod to the past in various ways while focusing on today's consumer trends. They will be on display at the March 23-31 event in Moab, Utah, and will roam 39 trails.

A breakdown of each concept follows.

This retro off-roader honors Jeep's Willys roots with a touch of post-World War II Americana. It is based on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe plug-in hybrid, but it is far from the electrified SUV that consumers buy at the dealership.

Underneath, the axles have been replaced with heavy-duty Dana 50s with 4.70 gears. These axles are bolted to custom vintage-style 16-inch steel wheels painted bright white. The Jeep team has fitted 36-inch Super Traxion tires to these wheels, and the 2.0-inch lift provides additional ground clearance.

To complete the vintage exterior look, the hood has Willys stamped on the sides like early military Jeeps. Both bumpers have been replaced with custom steel units with cut-off ends. Both of these bumpers feature what were known as "helicopter hooks" that World War II helicopters hooked onto to carry the jeep through the air. The Warn 8274 classic winch is mounted on the front in case the vehicle gets into a slightly dangerous situation while off-roading.

The exterior is finished in Element 115 Green paint, contrasted by a gloss black windshield surround and roll bar. On the interior, Jeep has added distressed leather and contrasting hound's tooth inserts to the seats. The dashboard trim also matches the houndstooth cloth. For a more military-like appearance, the headrests were removed and the carpet was replaced with vinyl floor coverings from Jeep Performance Parts.

According to Jeep, the lowered concept is a celebration of the V-8 engine. It mixes vintage racing-inspired design with capability.

The low-down is about speed, noise, and capability. To that end, it is based on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 with a 6.4-liter V-8 engine.

Jeep has beefed up the concept's running gear, equipping it with Dana 60 axles and 5.38 gears front and rear. The suspension remains stock, but the entire package rides high thanks to BFGoodrich Krawler 42-inch tires mounted on 20-inch brass beadlock-compatible wheels. Between the huge tires and stubby bumpers, approach and departure angles are nearly "nothing," according to the Jeep team.

The exterior features Candy Apple Red paint, custom high clearance flat-top carbon fiber fender flares, no rear door handles, custom carbon fiber hood, eight holes drilled for motor visibility The Jeep team says it evokes a "racing car vibe," with a see-through power dome with eight holes to allow the motor to be seen.

The interior is covered with a custom translucent red bikini top and the floor is coated with Rhino liner. Jeep removed the Wrangler's touchscreen for a more focused interior. The Jeep team says, "The exhaust has two settings, loud and obnoxious, and all the entertainment you need." The radio was removed because "the motor is the entertainment."

Aiming for achievable performance, the Jeep Hi-Top Concept started with the Gladiator Rubicon and took it out of the Jeep Performance Parts bin.

In the name of enhanced performance, the Jeep team replaced the axles with Dana 60s with 5.38 gearing. The trucks are fitted with AccuAir air suspension that can be adjusted on the fly. Huge BFGoodrich 40-inch K03 all-terrain tires wrapped 18-inch Grenade Crawl beadlock compatible wheels with black silver lips. To clear these tires, flat fender flares from Jeep Performance Parts have been added. Fans will notice that these flares have been used on Wranglers in the past. [stock 3. Under the hood is a 6-liter V-6 engine mated to a Gladiator 8-speed automatic transmission.

The exterior reaches the J10 look of the 1970s and '80s with a black and ginger snap paint scheme. Enthusiasts will notice that a similar paint color, called Ginger Poly or Golden Ginger, existed on J10s of the era. The retro two-tone graphics look great against the black Jeep Performance Parts sunbonnet top.

The AEV RX's front bumper was replaced with a low hoop so as not to affect the viewing angle of the front camera. Rockslide Engineering's rock rails protect the side rails of the truck and also serve as power-assisted steps for shorter occupants.

Inside, the custom seats feature quilted leather from Alea Leather, and an accessory rail from Jeep Performance Parts sits above the dash. This makes it easy to mount electronic devices such as a GoPro or iPad to the dashboard, ready for the day's adventures. The bed is equipped with a Decked storage system for trail gear and can be locked.

Jeep is finally ready to give people what they want: wood trim on the sides of the Wagoneer. Well, some people.

Based on the Grand Wagoneer Series III, the Vacationeer pays homage to this nameplate tradition while aiming to tug at the nostalgia strings of fans.

The massive Wagoneer concept is lifted 1.5 inches and sits on white 18-inch 701 Method Racing wheels; Jeep has wrapped 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires on the wheels, but the rubber is clear, the wheel wells were opened up slightly and custom body-color fender flares were installed. Custom front and rear skid plates, a modified front mask with LED off-road lights, and a front Warn winch complete the exterior changes.

Spearmint paint contrasts with the white protective coating of Rhino Liner covering the roof, while a custom rack with auxiliary lighting and a RedTail Skyloft roof tent sits atop the SUV. A key design feature is the wood-grain stripes that adorn the sides of the Vacationeer concept. These are decals inspired by the wood-grain panels on Wagoneers of the 60s and 70s, rather than the full body panels of the 80s. The decal has a wood-like texture.

On the interior, the Tupelo leather seats feature inserts designed by New England clothing magnet Keir James Patrick. These inserts feature Easter eggs with small TJs, CJs, and JTs hidden within the plaid design; the second and third row seats and the second row sunroof were removed. This allows easy access to the roof top tent from inside the Vacationeer. To facilitate cleaning, the Jeep team has provided rhino linings for the floors. Jeep even included a vintage luggage set inside the Vacationeer concept to give it an old-school feel.