Will Jeep ever make a Hellcat Wrangler?

[multicam]

There’s a market for every dumb idea: https://www.rubitrux.com/jeep-wrangler-jl.html

What I wonder is why FCA doesn’t look at the most popular modifications, build THAT as a premium model, and give it a cool name like “The Beast”.
For the manufacturer, building a Rubicon with 3 inch lift, 37” tires, Brembo-or-similar brakes, 488 gears, superior tuned shocks, stronger axels/knuckles/driveline, proper tire carrier, larger fuel tank, winch-ready bumper, and aluminum skid system would be a nearly cost-neutral tweak. To do a first class job with all of these options might cost FCA an additional $1,500 to $2,500.
Depending on how they did it, they could deliver a $25,000 value (for us) for, say, $10,000. Or they could package options and market incremental versions, like quadratech “stage” builds that would be 99% cost neutral for FCA, like lift, 35s, bigger brakes, and 456s, for example. I’d be surprised if equipping a Rubicon with that package would add even $700 to the manufacturing cost and they could easily sell the option for $7,000. They could build the Jeep equivalent to the Power Wagon, or the Raptor.

While I like where your head’s at, and I love the idea of “even MOAR POWAH,” I think you vastly underestimate the costs of vehicle development and emissions/crash test certification from the government. It’s not a simple matter of putting parts together however you want and then selling the jeep. Also, with all that power, the whole jeep is going to need to be strengthened to handle it... from steering components to suspension to the frame to the transmission, etc.

It’s fun to dream though!

Sponsored

 

[Kevin Mojito]

I'll be in for one, if it's a 2 door!! This 5.7 does ok with 125hp shot nos. 700hp would be just right, I could go back to full paddles

 

[Roger C]

I subscribe to the “whatever floats your boat” philosophy too.

A friend of mine and his dad built a 500 hp Chevy small block and put it in a 1970s Gremlin... one of the goofiest, fugliest, vehicles ever made.

I respected their right to do that. And I respected the extraordinary mechanical ability required to make it happen. And I still love those guys. But I think that project was one of the dumbest ideas ever. The thing was a death trap. That’s my two cents — my judgment— so I own being judgmental... but not in a mean “I’m better than you” kind of way.

My friend put a Kawasaki 1000 motor into a golf cart. Now that was a death trap but it sure sounded cool!

 

[Whaler27]

I'll be in for one, if it's a 2 door!! This 5.7 does ok with 125hp shot nos. 700hp would be just right, I could go back to full paddles

That thing is cool! Looks like huge fun!

 

[BCMgunner]

Didn’t Jeep have to extend the engine bay vertically 1 inch to fit the 392? Isn’t that why the Mopar lift was made standard on the 392; to allow the engine to hang an extra inch lower and still have appropriate ground clearance?
How high would FCA have to lift the Rubicon to accommodate the Supercharger?

 

[StingGrayRhino]

We're on the JL Forum. If we were on a TJ or JK Forum back in 2018 they were talking so much shit about this model saying "Jeep went soft. That ain't a wrangler"

The JL is a way more street friendly wrangler than the previous models. Along those lines are buyers who will never go off-roading as its a daily driver that looks hard. With that said, the older buyers (35+) who have had sport cars but wanted something different still yearn for street performance. Right now the 392 is faster than a Porsche Panamera. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Still looking hard but able to burn mother fuckers under the radar. Will there be buyers for a hellcat? I don't know. I'm more than satisfied with the 392.

 

[Whaler27]

We're on the JL Forum. If we were on a TJ or JK Forum back in 2018 they were talking so much shit about this model saying "Jeep went soft. That ain't a wrangler"

The JL is a way more street friendly wrangler than the previous models. Along those lines are buyers who will never go off-roading as its a daily driver that looks hard. With that said, the older buyers (35+) who have had sport cars but wanted something different still yearn for street performance. Right now the 392 is faster than a Porsche Panamera. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Still looking hard but able to burn mother fuckers under the radar. Will there be buyers for a hellcat? I don't know. I'm more than satisfied with the 392.

I’m not sure I know what you mean by “burn mother fuckers under the radar”. Are you referring to winning stop light to stop light races? If so, the Wrangler just isn’t very well suited to that. It’s not a matter of the JL getting “soft”, and I agree that the Wrangler’s road manners are much better than they used to be, but the suspension, brakes, and center of gravity make it a poor option for hot rod activities, no matter how much horsepower you pack under the hood.

I‘m getting old, but I still drive fast a lot, and I still enjoy it most of the time. I still look forward to EVOC training too, but I don’t think it would be much fun to do that training, or even race stop light to stop light, in a top-heavy vehicle with all-terrain tires, poor brakes, and suspension travel and spring-rates that virtually guarantees excessive body roll And stopping distances.

I‘m not being critical of the Wrangler or anybody who wants to turn it into a hot rod. It just feels like trying to turn a hammer into a screwdriver. I’m sure it can be done, but I don’t understand why it would be done when it would be so much easier, less expensive, and more effective to buy a screwdriver.

 

[StingGrayRhino]

I’m not sure I know what you mean by “burn mother fuckers under the radar”. Are you referring to winning stop light to stop light races? If so, the Wrangler just isn’t very well suited to that. It’s not a matter of the JL getting “soft”, and I agree that the Wrangler’s road manners are much better than they used to be, but the suspension, brakes, and center of gravity make it a poor option for hot rod activities, no matter how much horsepower you pack under the hood.

I‘m getting old, but I still drive fast a lot, and I still enjoy it most of the time. I still look forward to EVOC training too, but I don’t think it would be much fun to do that training, or even race stop light to stop light, in a top-heavy vehicle with all-terrain tires, poor brakes, and suspension travel and spring-rates that virtually guarantees excessive body roll And stopping distances.

I‘m not being critical of the Wrangler or anybody 2who wants to turn it into a hot rod. It just feels like trying to turn a hammer into a screwdriver. I’m sure it can be done, but I don’t understand why it would be done when it would be so much easier, less expensive, and more effective to buy a screwdriver.

Based on the performance numbers for the 392, it's very well suited for stop light to stop light races. I couldn't agree more with your hammer analogy. However, if there's one thing that Wrangler buyers have displayed is the complete disregard for money when it comes to their rig.

I'm a first time Wrangler owner and my first impression when I got the JL was it was an extremely overpriced vehicle for the amount that saidspent. That's just the price you pay for an "only one in its class" kind of car.

So yeah, with that said if you want a screw driver buy a screw driver mentality is out the window. This is more of a "oh its possible, let me do it!"

 

[JayJay]

I’m not sure I know what you mean by “burn mother fuckers under the radar”.

I guess that I'm getting way too old. Lost me with "looking hard".

Later,
Johnny

 

[Kevin Mojito]

That thing is cool! Looks like huge fun!

Nothing like a Hemi Jeep in the Oregon sand dunes. With 21.50 wide paddles, never get stuck just run out of HP...
Always get people stopping and asking "are you ok, we never see a Jeep this far back in the dunes." I'm just fine, not stuck.

 

[Solidaxle]

Like anything else. It’s mostly up to the driver. A hellcat wrangler or stock six-cylinder wrangler could be just as safe. Like a six cylinder challenger and a hellcat challenger.

 

[Whaler27]

Nothing like a Hemi Jeep in the Oregon sand dunes. With 21.50 wide paddles, never get stuck just run out of HP...
Always get people stopping and asking "are you ok, we never see a Jeep this far back in the dunes." I'm just fine, not stuck.

Does it perform better in that environment than a sand-rail with similar horsepower? As much as I love Jeeps, it seems like the lighter, low-slung, wide-stance of a sand rail would perform better there, but I’ve never owned a sand rail, and I’ve never run paddles on a Jeep. In fact, all my Oregon dune time has been on ATVs or, twice, in one of those goofy tourist rails.

On the stoplight-to-stoplight front, I wasn‘t questioning the potential of the motor... just wondering if a top-heavy 4x4 with AT tires, squishy high-travel suspension, and mediocre brakes is the best choice for that. It seems like Mustangs, Chargers, Camaros — or even VW Bugs would be much better. Having said that, the Humor thread includes a picture of a Wrangler converted into a low-rider, fully smashed, with 33” tires on 24” rims. I think that thing is fugly, maybe even worse than an 1970s AMC Pacer, and that’s saying a LOT,, but I’m still glad somebody built it, because it’s a curiosity. I think some of the wrangler colors are fugly too, but when I see all the colors together I’m glad they were all made, because the diversity of color looks great together — so keep up all the mods! I don’t need to understand everything.

 

[Kevin Mojito]

Does it perform better in that environment than a sand-rail with similar horsepower? As much as I love Jeeps, it seems like the lighter, low-slung, wide-stance of a sand rail would perform better there, but I’ve never owned a sand rail, and I’ve never run paddles on a Jeep. In fact, all my Oregon dune time has been on ATVs or, twice, in one of those goofy tourist rails.

Jeep vs Sand Car........... Purpose built Sand Car all the way. But, I can drive the Jeep with family back to Washington no trailer. No matter the weather.
Sand rail or car with 16-20" of travel and only 2000 pounds is the ultimate for sand.
The Jeep is just a Jeep. It's the utility knife, just now razor sharp with the Hemi.
Paddle tire need massive Hp to run. I'm on the weak side of power to weight. The fix is to cut the paddles down or half them. Why run them? It will not get stuck, or I have not been able to get stuck. I have purposely sunk it to the frame on the sand, tires just free spinning. With a small turn of the wheel in reverse it just pops right out of the sand holes. Sits on top of the sand and floats. I have run my JLUR and it was just as bad as the TJ was when it was a 6 and street tires. No fun in dunes, you can run them on the waterfront or beach areas or real small dunes.

 

[Whaler27]

Jeep vs Sand Car........... Purpose built Sand Car all the way. But, I can drive the Jeep with family back to Washington no trailer. No matter the weather.
Sand rail or car with 16-20" of travel and only 2000 pounds is the ultimate for sand.
The Jeep is just a Jeep. It's the utility knife, just now razor sharp with the Hemi.
Paddle tire need massive Hp to run. I'm on the weak side of power to weight. The fix is to cut the paddles down or half them. Why run them? It will not get stuck, or I have not been able to get stuck. I have purposely sunk it to the frame on the sand, tires just free spinning. With a small turn of the wheel in reverse it just pops right out of the sand holes. Sits on top of the sand and floats. I have run my JLUR and it was just as bad as the TJ was when it was a 6 and street tires. No fun in dunes, you can run them on the waterfront or beach areas or real small dunes.

Would a gearing swap turn the paddles better with the power you have now? Those rims look huge. Do you pull a trailer with tires, so you can swap between dunes and travel to and from the dunes? We’re only 90 minutes from those dunes, so I’d like to learn to Jeep in them.

 

[Kevin Mojito]

The first few years small flat trailer. Now I pull with F-250 and enclosed trailer. I got these for the JL, but have not cut them down to try yet. They will need to be almost a slick for the 3.6 to turn. 33x17's about 14" wide. On sand you are always spinning or floating. My uncle back in the late 60's early 70's used drag slicks. Said they worked great. They don't make a 17" rim size thats tall enough tire. Gearing may help if it's a slick, no paddle. Paddles "bite" the sand hard and you need power to spin them. Low range is too low and just dig into the sand.

Sponsored