With the new Jeep Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept, a wild and desert-ready pickup, Jeep is recapturing the essence of one of its most singular models. The concept melds the open-air nature of a Wrangler with truck utility and the high-performance bent of SRT. Taking the well-known Wrangler formula in an altogether different vein, it is V8 powered and has a body made for off-road speed, all while being inspired by the old Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler.
Jeep and the SRT Performance division at Stellantis have not set out to put the original Scrambler on display once more. Instead they have put their own modern spin on it, a two-door pickup with aggressive lines and racing hardware that seems better suited to tearing up the desert than crawling over rocks. The original CJ-8 put in its time in the early 1980s and won over a faithful following with its small bed and Jeep’s customary off-road mettle. This new concept follows suit but puts performance first.
The standard Wrangler has a reputation for handling difficult trails, but the Scrambler SRT has been put together with another objective. Upgrades to the chassis and suspension are meant to offer more stability and durability when going fast on rough desert ground.
A case in point is the custom independent front suspension, a joint effort with off-road racer Casey Currie. In place of the solid front axle you would find on a production Wrangler, this arrangement is for better wheel control and steering accuracy as the terrain and speeds become more demanding. Then there is the rear axle, which is of the trophy-truck variety, along with heavy-duty wheels and other off-road bits to take the kind of abuse that comes with desert racing. The suspension architecture is something seen before on the Jeep Striker Concept, technology that was proven when Currie took his custom Gladiator Striker to a win in the NORRA 500.
Such a pedigree lends the Scrambler SRT Concept more substance than your average show car with big tires and bodywork. It is an indication that Jeep is looking to do more with its off-road credentials than just rock crawling. As for the engine, Jeep has left the specifics and horsepower numbers to the imagination, though the thought of an SRT V8 in a Wrangler pickup is hard to pass over. It is not a preview of what is coming to the showroom floor, but it shows what can be done when SRT’s performance sensibilities are applied to Jeep’s engineering.
A Modern Take on the Scrambler Look
Though it is built on the present day Wrangler, the body has been reworked into a pickup of its own making. From the A-pillar on, the designers have put in longer doors and an integrated bed with custom rear work. A structural roll cage and unique fender flares finish the job and set it apart from the Gladiator or any Wrangler.
Up front is a fresh take on the classic sharknose with some Gladiator influence to make for a more assertive, truck-like profile that goes with the lifted stance. And in bright Punk’n orange, the Scrambler SRT is no wallflower. With bronze beadlock wheels, SRT trim and those exposed roll bars, the concept has plenty of character to spare. The Scrambler is not your typical Wrangler; its proportions are put in place to stress the pickup side of things. The bed has been fitted with a hardy spray-on liner so it can stand up to the demands of transporting motorcycles, camping paraphernalia and other outdoor gear.
In many ways an interesting design exercise, it conveys the character of the original CJ-8 Scrambler while avoiding the look of a retro rehash.
A Pickup Bed That Can Transform Into Passenger Space
The Jeep Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept has an adaptable rear seating system that is one of its more unorthodox features, letting the vehicle be used for either cargo or passengers.
The rear seats are secured by hooks in the floor and can be taken out altogether to make room in the bed. They can also be turned around for rear-facing accommodation, a setup you won’t find on any of Jeep’s current production models. With the seats gone the full extent of the pickup bed is available for larger equipment, free from the constraints of a standard passenger area.
It is a configuration that fits the Scrambler’s adventure bent. An owner might put people in the back for one outing and then have the space to put in some recreational or camping equipment for the next. Then again, this kind of removable and reversible seating is for now only a concept; Jeep has not said if it could be made to pass safety muster for production. It is a deft way of handling the versatility the original Scrambler was known for.
The cabin of the Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept is where rugged function is mixed with the better materials you would expect from an SRT performance car.
There is Dark Graphite leather with orange inserts, contrast stitching and bronze accents to go with the outside paint job. And the SRT embroidery on the seats is a further indication that this is no run-of-the-mill Wrangler. The seats are built to give extra support and hold occupants in place when the off-road driving gets aggressive and the terrain rough.
Specialized trim and grab handles add to the functional nature of the interior, as does the Multi-panel System on the rear seat. All told the design is a compromise between a purpose-made off-roader and a top-shelf performance vehicle. Rugged enough for the Scrambler’s desert-racing proclivities yet with the sort of material and detail work that says it is an SRT product.
Could Jeep Put a Production Wrangler Scrambler SRT on the Road?
At present the Jeep Wrangler Scrambler SRT is a concept and there is no word from Jeep of plans to build it. Specs for the V8, pricing and availability are all unconfirmed.
But the Scrambler does put forward a question regarding what is to come for Jeep’s performance side of the house. The Wrangler has always been about low-speed off-road ability whereas something like the Ford Bronco Raptor has shown how popular an SUV can be if it is set up for high-speed desert running.
The Scrambler SRT Concept is a different proposition. It puts a Wrangler platform together with independent front suspension, desert-racing tech and the utility of a pickup. Enthusiasts may well be drawn to such a specialized alternative to the ordinary Wrangler or Gladiator.
What is appealing about the concept is that it does not forsake the things that have served Jeep well. Open-air driving and ruggedness are still there as is a tie to the brand’s past. SRT has simply cranked up the performance with those same ingredients.
We will have to wait and see if the Wrangler Scrambler SRT ever makes it to production. But it is a good argument for a high-performance Jeep that wants to put miles of desert behind it at speed rather than crawl over rocks. With the racing suspension and V8 aspirations and a design harkening back to the classic Scrambler, it is possibly one of the most intriguing concepts to come from Jeep in some time.
