Unique Wrangler JK Rare 3.6 Edition model gets the Storm Jeeps treatment

THE BIG FINISH

The Jeep Wrangler Edition was the fi nal hurrah for the old JK model before it went out of production to be replaced by the current JL. With only 55 sold in the UK, it’s a rare beast – especially in 3.6-litre V6 form, as most that came here were diesels. This example, however, is more than just rare – having been given the treatment by Storm Jeeps, it’s a bona fi de one-off

Words: Tom Alderney Pictures: Storm Jeeps

When the current Jeep Wrangler was launched in the UK in 2019, it was the dawn of a new era. But thanks to Europe’s approach to cutting carbon emissions, it was also the end of another.

When the previous-generation JK model was launched, back in 2007, it was with wall-to-wall diesel engines. Except in the case of the evolved Rubicon model, that is, which got a 3.8-litre petrol engine with 196bhp.

But then, during the course of the JK’s life, Jeep introduced the 3.6-litre V6 Pentastar engine. With 280bhp, this was much more like it. It took time, but the new engine found its way into UK models in the latter part of the JK’s production run, not just in the Rubicon but in everyday models too.

What you’re looking at here is one of the very last. One of, if not the very last, in fact, because UK supply dwindled to less than a trickle as the JK neared its end.

It’s a 2018 Wrangler Edition. As the name suggests, this was a limited-run model designed to squeeze the last drops out of the JK (something Jeep hardly needed to do, such was the clamour

for them). Only 55 came to the UK, most of them with diesel engines – making this V6 example a rare beast indeed.

As you can see, though, it’s more than just rare. It’s very much one of a kind. That’s because, with a trifl ing 6500 miles on the clock, it fell into the hands of Storm Jeeps. And as a long line of cool builds has shown, the guys at Storm Jeeps know

The Dana 30 and 44 axles are standard, but the suspension bolted to them is not. The +3” TeraFlex system uses Falcon 2.1 dampers and promises a blend of strong road manners with extreme articulation

a thing or two about taking a good thing and making it better.

‘This JK Edition has everything it takes to make an icon even more special,’ the company says. ‘The aim behind the exterior enhancements on this Jeep was to create a blackout stealth look with styling inspired by Poison Spyder Customs builds in the USA.’

Poison Spider Mesa is a famous off-road trail in the rock-crawling paradise of Moab, Utah. And sure enough, this JK has the look of a rock rig – albeit a brand new one that hasn’t taken the sort of beating Moab is very good at dishing out. It was built using what Storm describes as ‘some of the best known aftermarket brands on the custom Jeep market with no expense spared,’ and as a consequence it’s very capable indeed – though all the same, that lush black paintwork wouldn’t half show up any scratches…

The fi rst thing you’re likely to notice is that it’s on big tyres. Big or bigger, depending on which photos you’re looking at. For the street look, it’s wearing a set of 35x12.50R20 Toyo Open Country Mud-Terrains on 20x9” KMC Rockstar rims, while for off-roading it wears 37x12.50R17 BFGoodrich KM2s on Pro-Comp Cognos rims. Neither of these is as big as some of the monsters you see on fullhouse rock rigs, but they still put on quite a show – and anyway, Storm needed to keep it sensible as, despite its extreme image, this was clearly a vehicle built to be drivable on the road too.

Hence the use of a 3” suspension lift kit from TeraFlex, featuring Falcon 2.1 shocks, which majors on drivability and performance as well as giving the vehicle ‘everything you need to conquer the most extreme trails and conditions.’ Any idiot can lift a vehicle this much and turn it into something that handles like a man possessed by satan riding a unicycle while balancing a blancmange on a stick of rhubarb, but TeraFlex promises ‘properly developed’ suspension geometry roll centre and load tuning to ensure that all the vehicle’s factory-fi tted stability measures remain functional and within Jeep’s original parameters. The results, the company says, are ‘increased vehicle stability on and off-road, improved dynamic roll control, improved low-speed damping and optimised fi tment for clearance during full suspension travel and articulation.’

On a full rock crawler, the suspension would be backed up by locking diffs and strengthened axles, but this JK retains its standard Dana 30 front and Dana 44 rear axles. These run their original 3.73:1 diff ratios, too. However the team at Storm defi nitely went all out when it came to fi tting heavy-duty bumpers and sill protection – as well as a towering set of wheelarches.

Both bumpers are from Poison Spyder Customs. The high-clearance Brawler Lite unit at the front is fabricated from 3/16” plate steel, while the RockBrawer II at the back was designed both to look good and maintain the best possible departure angle. The exhaust beneath it is a Borla Dirt Sports car-back job; safe to say the Pentastar V6 engine rarely sounds this good

Upgraded JW Speaker headlamps offer DRL functionality and a better beam pattern than the standard halogen units. The rear bumper has integrated LED foglights, while above it the spare wheel contains a spectacularly cool halo LED brake light. Best of all, the Rigid Radiance Plus 50” LED bar mounted at the top of the windscreen (below) has a red backlit feature for those look-at-me moments

This is where the Poison Spyder Customs connection comes to the fore. Starting at the front, the company’s high-clearance Brawler Lite front bumper extends far enough out at each side to protect the lower corners of the Jeep’s grille, but not so far as to hinder tyre clearance or approach angle when tackling vertical obstacles. Fabricated from 3/16” plate steel, CNC laser-cut and precision brake-formed into a low profile design, the bumper is home to a Warn Zeon 8000lb electric winch whose synthetic rope is pulled through Poison Spyder Customs’ hawse fairlead.

Moving back, you come to those arches. These are Poison Spyder’s aluminium Crusher flares, colour-coded here to match the Jeep’s bodywork. As well as looking amazing, they’ve got the strength to protect the rest of the vehicle too, with an inner structure which fully braces them against ‘punishing scrapes with granite canyon walls.’ Car park dings are so very last year…

The arches flow down towards a set of Mopar rock rails, then round the back there’s a Poison Spyder RockBrawler II rear bumper. Following the same approach as its counterpart at the front, this is designed for ‘the best possible departure angle and corner obstacle clearance.’

It’s there to look good, too. Storm says its appearance ‘is designed to be streamlined and spherically pleasing while still providing increased protection from corner impacts… not like the squarish, boxy shape of many other bumpers on the market.’

There’s a Rugged Ridge cast alloy heavy-duty tailgate hinge up top, helping carry the extra weight of the outsize space wheel – inside of which a halo LED brake light is located. On the subject, the rear bumper also has integrated LED foglights, retaining its neat lines without the need for anything to be mounted on top of it.

Further bright lights come in the shape of a JW Speaker headlamp upgrade, offering DRL functionality as well as better beam patterns and superior performance to that of the standard halogen units. Brightest of all, however, is a 50” Rigid Radiance Plus light bar mounted along the top of the windscreen. This is proper turn-dayinto-night stuff – ideal for off-roading, of course, and also for making the vehicle look cooler than ever whether it’s switched on or off.

So if you’re sitting inside this Wrangler, you can be fairly sure everybody will be looking at it and admiring you. But what do you get to look at yourself? The short answer is that it’s pretty much standard in there – albeit standard JK Edition, which means you’re sitting in heated McKinley leather seats with grey stitching and a matching cubby box lid, steering wheel and door armrest. There passenger’s grab handle has embossed JK badging, and there’s a serial plaque recording the vehicle as number 868 out of the 1250 Edition models built for the worldwide market.

Obviously, a plaque recording it as number 1 out of 1 would be equally relevant, albeit slightly extra. And anyway, you don’t need that to know this is a unique Wrangler. On top of all the other stuff we’ve mentioned, it has a Mopar PowerDome vented bonnet and Borla Dirt Sports cat-back exhaust – the latter helping ensure that it sounds as good as it looks.

Which, it won’t have escaped your notice, is very good indeed. This may have been a rare and special Wrangler from the word go, simply by being one of the last of its kind, but what’s happened since then has turned it into much more than just another Edition model. It’s gone from being a JK Edition to a Storm Edition, done in the style of one of the great American Jeep-building houses – and more than any plaque ever could, that makes it very special indeed.