ANCIENT AND MODERN The Jeep ‘41 Concept is all about paying tribute to the military heritage that made the Words: Marcus Tee Pictures: Jeep
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n Britain, most 4x4 are working vehicles you can also use for fun. But for whatever reason, Jeeps buck that trend. People might buy a Wrangler as a lifestyle statement or an off-road toy, but when did you ever see a farmer towing three tons of potatoes behind one? Similarly, it’s very rare (not unheard of, but rare) for people to choose Jeeps for overland travel. And when the Army is shopping for vehicles, its procurement people don’t tend to start by putting in a call to Toledo. Of course, it wasn’t always like this. The first Jeep, the Willys MB, was conceived specifically as a tool of war at the request of the US Army. Hence the ’Since 1941’ badge you see on today’s Jeeps. The company describes it as a ‘badge of honour’ and ‘a symbol of pride that recognises the Jeep brand’s long-standing military heritage and legendary 4x4 capability leadership for more than 80 years.’ Jeep has made of the most of its heritage with no end of concept vehicles down the years. The latest of these is the ’41 Concept, introduced at this year’s Easter Safari in Moab, Utah, which brought the original Willys back into the spotlight. As any good concept should, however, this is not just a starry-eyed throwback to some fondly imagined good old days. The ’41 is a real blend of ancient and modern, an ever-so-slightly kitschy set of references to the Wrangler’s military beginnings draped over the technology that will underpin Jeep’s next steps into the future. This takes the form of the Wrangler 4xe, whose twin-motor plug-in hybrid drivetrain allows it to return in the region of 49mpg (US figures) and travel up to 21 miles on electric power alone. In theory, it could just about conquer the entire Rubicon trail without its 2.0-litre petrol engine ever having to fire up once – and even if the demands of extreme off-roading were to draw too much from its batteries to make this possible, it’s still ‘he most capable, technically advanced and eco-friendly Wrangler ever.’
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Unlike some manufacturers (see if you can guess who we’re talking about), Jeep embraces the fact that Wrangler customers tend to pick up their new vehicles from the dealer and head straight to the aftermarket to modify them. And it’s not going to be any different with the 4xe. This one has been given a +2” lift from Jeep
Performance Parts, making room for a set of 35x12.50R17 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tyres on 17” Fifteen52 steel wheels. The latter have been painted in a matte green colour name olive D.R.A.B. ’41. We all remember those little pots of Humbrol Olive Drab from our Airfix-building days (well, if we’re old enough we
4x4 01/06/2022 23:08
