We are continuing or look at some of our favorite Moab Easter Jeep® Safari Concept vehicles from the past decade and we figured we would discuss one of the most outrageous ones. Know we have talked about a lot of Hellcat-powered Jeep® vehicles since we started MoparInsiders. Everything from custom builds like those from our friends at America’s Most Wanted 4×4, a Hellcat-powered Grand Wagoneer, and even our own long-term 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has been discussed, but there is one vehicle we haven’t touched much on. That vehicle is the 2016 Jeep Trailcat Concept.
Leave it to Jeep and Mopar, to create the ultimate off-road machine, whether it be on the rugged trails of Moab or a high-speed section in the desert – the Trailcat is a force to be reckoned with. Under the hood, of course, is the awesome supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine producing 707 horsepower and it is paired to a 6-speed manual transmission. That’s right, unlike the Ram Rebel TRX Concept, this thing makes the full 707 horsepower!
Starting with the platform, the Jeep team took a two-door Jeep Wrangler (JK) and stretched the wheelbase an additional 12-inches (4-inches in the front and 8-inches in the rear) as well as chopping the windshield 2-inches to give the Trailcat Concept a sleeker look that is completely it’s own.
To give it a beefy stance, the Trailcat was given a 2-inch lift, as well as aluminum monotube 2.5-inch FOX Shocks from the Jeep Performance Parts bin. While to back up all that power, the Trailcat Concept was fitted with Dana 60 axles both front and back. To add to its off-road look a set of Jeep Performance Parts 17-inch Beadlock wheels (painted to match the Trailcat) and were wrapped with massive 39.5-inch BFGoodrich T/A KX tires.
On the exterior of the Trailcat Concept, the team added a bunch of Mopar goodies to the vehicle. Items like a Satin Black grille, LED headlamps, LED fog lamps, custom bumpers, and heavy-duty rock rails. A Wrangler (JK) Rubicon hood was modified to add for more venting for the massive supercharged HEMI. The bright green paint goes well with the custom black decals featuring the “Trailcat” badge on the hood and the “Hellcat” logo on the front quarter panels.
Inside, the interior was stripped to make the build as simple and center focused on the Hellcat powerplant as possible. Don’t plan on listening to tunes in this ride, as the stereo has been deleted. The back seats have been removed to make way for the massive fuel cell, to allow the supercharged HEMI Hellcat engine to sip fuel through a single 250 psi fuel line. The interior does feature some creature comforts like a set of sport bucket seats from the Dodge Viper, made from carbon fiber and featuring Katzkin leather seat covers with accent stitching. The 6-speed manual shifter features a custom ball with an embossed Hellcat logo, while the sun is blocked by a custom Jeep Performance Parts sunshade.
The large supercharged HEMI doesn’t have an issue with heat, thanks to the Jeep parts bin, where the team stuck a radiator from the Middle East built diesel-powered Jeep Wrangler J8 military truck. The Trailcat also features twin Borla exhaust, which can make the Hellcat engine quiet at low speeds and earth-shattering at about 4,000 RPM.
While the Trailcat Concept will never get built, Jeep has had a lot of fun marketing the vehicle with various toys and merchandising. However, those who play the XBOX Forza video game series, the Trailcat has been featured as part of the Hot Wheels Expansion for Forza Horizon 3, in Forza Motorsport 7, and as a reward in Forza Horizon 4 for reaching level 4 in the Cross Country Series of Horizon Life.
2016 Jeep® Trailcat Concept Image Gallery:
