Spied! V8 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Hemi Production Version Begins Testing!

[ThirtyOne]

There are professional photogs who hang out by test facilities just to get pictures like this and sell them. It's not a new thing. Sometimes there is cooperation when the company wants certain things to be leaked. This is also not new.

Totally agree. But why would FCA do high-quality videos and rendering of the 392 and get all kinds of press out of it, only to follow up a week later with crappy leaked spy photos? Why not release more video of the concept?

Sponsored

 

[word302]

ok...hmm. How is this "spy shot" the same vehicle as this:

https://www.fourwheeler.com/news/jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-concept/

(has a pretty good video too...so the "concept" is VERY real, I'm just doubting this whole spy shot thing)

Is everyone saying they downgraded the concept vehicle to keep it hidden?

Clearly, not the same tires or wheels. That mopar article claims that's a "dead giveaway"...but those beadlock wheels aren't even the same as what's on the concept nor are those tires the the 37" Wildpeak that's on the concept.

And as I mentioned multiple times...no half doors...

Why would you assume the production test mules have to be exactly like the revealed concept, out that what is available for the public to buy is anything like the concept reveal?

 

[ThirtyOne]

ok...hmm. How is this "spy shot" the same vehicle as this:

https://www.fourwheeler.com/news/jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-concept/

(has a pretty good video too...so the "concept" is VERY real, I'm just doubting this whole spy shot thing)

Is everyone saying they downgraded the concept vehicle to keep it hidden?

Clearly, not the same tires or wheels. That mopar article claims that's a "dead giveaway"...but those beadlock wheels aren't even the same as what's on the concept nor are those tires the the 37" Wildpeak that's on the concept.

And as I mentioned multiple times...no half doors...

Reasonable to be skeptical. What do you think the photos are? Photshopped? A mule for some JL special edition? Maybe Mojave related? A private modded vehicle that just got mistaken for an FCA test vehicle? The russians?

It's clearly something. Doesn't necessarily mean it's the 392. But it probably is.

 

[Jeeperob]

Reasonable to be skeptical. What do you think the photos are? Photshopped? A mule for some JL special edition? Maybe Mojave related? A private modded vehicle that just got mistaken for an FCA test vehicle? The russians?

It's clearly something. Doesn't necessarily mean it's the 392. But it probably is.

who knows really? Some guy in his Jeep on his way to Costco?

I read in the other thread that was closed down that there were supposedly 30 concept 392 Wranglers made, if that's the case why are we not seeing ones that look like the concept? Are all the concepts one offs? Everyone is different? I'm asking because I don't actually know the answer...

 

[N6WTango]

There are professional photogs who hang out by test facilities just to get pictures like this and sell them. It's not a new thing. Sometimes there is cooperation when the company wants certain things to be leaked. This is also not new.

Totally agree!

 

[N6WTango]

Totally agree. But why would FCA do high-quality videos and rendering of the 392 and get all kinds of press out of it, only to follow up a week later with crappy leaked spy photos? Why not release more video of the concept?

Because FCA either hired this photographer or let him sell the photos. These are not "spy" photos!

 

[ThirtyOne]

who knows really? Some guy in his Jeep on his way to Costco?

I read in the other thread that was closed down that there were supposedly 30 concept 392 Wranglers made, if that's the case why are we not seeing ones that look like the concept? Are all the concepts one offs? Everyone is different? I'm asking because I don't actually know the answer...

I have read 30-50 prototype vehicles made on the production line. The prototypes would be production-like vehicles made with production tooling. Not one-off concepts.

edit: Moparinsiders just said "several" prototypes, so I am not sure I buy the 30-50 number.

 

[ThirtyOne]

Because FCA either hired this photographer or let him sell the photos. These are not "spy" photos!

Why?

 

[Lapis]

ok...hmm. How is this "spy shot" the same vehicle as this:

https://www.fourwheeler.com/news/jeep-wrangler-rubicon-392-concept/

(has a pretty good video too...so the "concept" is VERY real, I'm just doubting this whole spy shot thing)

Is everyone saying they downgraded the concept vehicle to keep it hidden?

Clearly, not the same tires or wheels. That mopar article claims that's a "dead giveaway"...but those beadlock wheels aren't even the same as what's on the concept nor are those tires the the 37" Wildpeak that's on the concept.

And as I mentioned multiple times...no half doors...

They are the same wheels, just painted black now instead of bronze, and with a different ring.

Heres the wheels from the concept: https://www.fourwheeler.com/uploads...Rubicon-392-Concept-12.jpg?fit=around|875:492

and here's the one's from these "spy" shots: https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/mpogo/s1/jeep-wrangler-392-prototype-exhausts.jpg


Being a beadlock-capable wheel, it stands to reason there would be two different rings (trim and beadlock) and being as this wheel has only ever been shown on that concept before, it makes it less likely this is some random person's vehicle

 

[N6WTango]

Why?

So look at this thread and how quickly it has grown. This is what FCA wants. It wants more people to talk about a JL with a 392 in it than to talk about a new Bronco. If there is a hint of a V8 Version of a Wrangler would you be running out to buy a Bronco? This is FCA marketing at its best!

 

[ThirtyOne]

They created buzz with high quality content related to the concept on their Instagram account. Why follow up with crappy spy shots a week later?

If this was 3 months from now with no news on the hemi I would buy it. But this doesn't make much sense.

Every heard of occam's razor? It is just more reasonable to believe that spy photographers took these pictures than FCA orchestrated this leak. We live in this weird time when people think the conspiracy explanation is MORE likely than the simple explanation. It is weird.

Not saying it isn't possible. Just saying it's more reasonable to believe that potographers that regularly check the typical FCA testing sites for new vehicles found this vehicle testing and took pictures of it.

 

[N6WTango]

Not saying it isn't possible. Just saying it's more reasonable to believe that potographer's that regularly check the typical FCA testing sites for new vehicles found this vehicle testing and took pictures of it.

But why would this JL pull over and sit there for a photographer to take pictures?? I could see it if the picture were of a moving vehicle, but not a parked one! NOT SPY PHOTOS!

 

[ThirtyOne]

But why would this JL pull over and sit there for a photographer to take pictures?? I could see it if the picture were of a moving vehicle, but not a parked one! NOT SPY PHOTOS!

So do you just not believe in the concept of spy photos, or just don't believe that these particular photos are spy photos?

 

[Lapis]

But why would this JL pull over and sit there for a photographer to take pictures?? I could see it if the picture were of a moving vehicle, but not a parked one! NOT SPY PHOTOS!

It is moving, look a the relation of where the background objects (signs) are compared to the jeep, It probably wasn't moving very fast, and it's definitely a pro photographer using a high ISO, but the jeep was moving.

See them in High-res here: https://www.autoblog.com/2020/07/21/jeep-wrangler-392-prototype-spied/#slide-endcap

Sponsored