CAUGHT: 2021 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon With Half-Doors:
Are Half-Doors Coming? Looks Like They Might Be In The Works...
Since its introduction, Jeep® Wrangler enthusiasts have been asking the iconic off-road brand for a half-door option for its popular Wrangler (JL) models. The Jeep brand has teased several different designs to the public, including a unique conceptual half-door design that featured glass panels that were shown at the launch of the Wrangler (JL) at the L.A. Auto Show back in November of 2017. At the time, Jeep stated to the press that the door design shown would be introduced into production in 2019.
Shortly after the announcement at the L.A. Auto Show, the Jeep and Mopar brands then teased fans with another design of half-doors on the 2018 Jeep Jeepster Concept that made its debut at the 52nd Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.
Jeep and Mopar then teased the public with another set of half-door on its 2018 Jeep Jeepster Concept that made its debut at the 52nd Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari in late March of 2018. The set featured on the Jeepster Concept followed more of traditional design and looked more production-ready than the ones shown models earlier in Los Angeles.
The Jeepster Concept also featured a concept hardtop option, which featured a 2-inch chop, a windshield that was racked back 2.5-degrees, and a slick fastback design. The half-doors shown on the concept blended the concept roof design into the body well. Unfortunately, the half-door design never made it to market in the 2019 or 2020 model years.
A few months ago, the idea of half-doors was teased once again on the 2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 Concept. This time, the Jeep team incorporated half-doors on the four-door Unlimited model. What made this design unique, was that it worked with the Wrangler’s Sky One-touch powertop, with removable side panels offering even more open-air freedom for Unlimited buyers.
Recently, our spy photographers have caught several Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 test mules on the streets of Metro Detroit. However, none of the models have included half-door on those models. But, this past week, our keen eye photographers spotted a two-door 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon out in public wearing a pair of half-doors looking very similar to the units found on the Jeepster and Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 concept vehicles.
In the new photos, the half-door design features soft-top like material upper windows. The new design features a full-window and quarter-window design. It appears that there is a zipper design to open the quarter-windows, however, we can’t tell if they will still retain a zipper design for the full-windows. Judging by how Jeep has ditched its zippers for its soft-top design for the Wrangler (JL) for a track system, we are hoping that the new design features a new opening system. We kind of hope that the design would feature sliding windows, like the ones offered from soft-top maker Bestop.
With the introduction of the upcoming 2021 Ford Bronco, the Jeep brand is feeling the pressure that it hasn’t experienced in quite a while. With the Jeep team testing new products like the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 and this Wrangler Rubicon two-door with half-doors, it looks as if the added competition of Bronco, is pushing Jeep to offer more models, equipment, and powertrains, then we have ever seen before.
2021 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon with Half-Doors Image Gallery:
