Back in 2015, the Jeep® and Mopar brands released seven custom concept Jeep vehicles for the 49th annual Easter Jeep Safari. Of the seven concept vehicles showcased during the event, one particular concept caught the eyes of the overland world – the Jeep® Wrangler Africa Concept.
Designed to be the ultimate Wrangler for the back-country and overland expeditions, the Wrangler Africa looked to be inspired by the iconic Land Rover Defender 110 series. Over a foot longer after the rear wheels and four inches higher than the standard Wrangler Unlimited (JK) it’s based on, the Wrangler Africa features an extended rear body with a high-top roof. With the new extended body, the overall length was still roughly the same as a Wrangler Unlimited with a tailgate-mounted spare tire.
The larger rear cargo area, inner roof, and floor were finished in a durable white spray-in truck bed coating and feature a side swinging rear door.
Painted in Desert Tan, the Wrangler Africa features a ton of Jeep® Performance Parts (JPP) as well. Items like a high-clearance steel front bumper, power step rock rails, and a Rubicon power dome vented hood. A Mopar two-inch lift kit with Fox shocks, sway bar links, and front and rear Dana 44 axles also came from the JPP parts bin.
Under the hood, was a 2.8-liter diesel engine delivering 177 horsepower (132 kW) and 302 lb-ft (409 Nm) of torque. The VM Motori-built four-cylinder diesel was mated to a Mercedes-sourced 5-speed W5A580 automatic transmission and sent power to the Dana 44 axles to a set of 17-inch body color steel wheels wrapped in 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires. The Wrangler Africa also featured fender-mounted auxiliary fuel cans.
There are still lots of Jeep diehards that would love to see the Wrangler Africa’s extended body graphed onto the current generation Wrangler Unlimited (JL) body, giving even more room behind the rear seats of the Wrangler Unlimited. Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below.
2015 Jeep® Wrangler Africa Concept Image Gallery:
