The Jeep Scrambler 392 Concept Is An Insane V8 Sports Jeep We Wish We Could Buy

Jeep has rolled out its lineup of concept cars for the 2023 Easter Jeep Safari, and one got me hooked right away. This is a bit surprising because my automotive sensibilities typically center around on-road handling, so while I respect Jeeps immensely, I couldn’t see myself wanting to own a Wrangler. However, every so often, something is just so bonkers that I adore it. This is the Jeep Scrambler 392 concept, an Easter Jeep Safari concept that I’m really stoked for.

The old CJ-8 Scrambler was a wicked small pickup with a single-cab and four-wheel-drive, and the Scrambler 392 looks to honor that heritage. Featuring a chopped roof, raked windscreen, tiny bumpers, and chunky beveled side panels, this is about what I’d imagine a sports Jeep with a bed to look like. In this particularly bold shade of green, it looks like someone put a Wrangler and a Pontiac Stinger in a blender, in the best possible way.

Best of all, it’ll really move thanks to a 6.4-liter V8 with 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. While that’s not quite the same thrust as the electric Magneto concept, nor does that thrust make it to the wheels through a manual gearbox; the simple fact is that the regular, automatic-only 392 Wrangler is an absolute riot. Only Stellantis would look at a vehicle with no sense of what dead-ahead is and think “this should move and sound like an Xfinity Series car.” Conceptually, the Scrambler 392 is like that, just a little bit more so thanks to weight-saving carbon fiber bodywork like the hood, fender flares, and roof.

While the Scrambler 392 looks high and mighty in photos, it can squat down to a more reasonable height thanks to an adjustable lift kit from AccuAir. Drop the pressure and you have a 1.5-inch lift kit. Pump it up and you’re looking at 5.5 inches of additional clearance. This air-enhanced suspension system sounds great for city-dwellers, as it affords gnarly clearance while still allowing Jeeps to fit in certain parking garages with the suspension aired down.

While 20-inch wheels on an off-roader sound inappropriate, they work surprisingly well when paired with massive 40-inch tires that offer plenty of sidewall. By the way, those wheels are painted the same lovely shade of bronze, dubbed Brass Monkey, as the tow hooks. Nice. For an added bit of bombast, the hood over the engine is transparent, a bit like on a C6 Corvette ZR1. That’s just plain cool. While I’m not thrilled by the Rubicon 20^th Anniversary Edition-style grille, the rest of the Scrambler 392’s visual treatment more than makes up for the questionable mug.

The inside is equally-loud. Dark leather seats get lime green stitching to match the exterior and dashboard, along with a wicked set of blue and green plaid inserts made out of some pop punk band’s lead singer’s shorts. As a cherry on top, the dashboard gets an awesome giant sticker that says “392,” letting everyone know what’s under the hood.

[Editor’s Note: I’m curious about rear visibility around those thick B-pillars. I’ll also note that this Jeep is’t that lightweight at just 450 pounds less hefty than the four-door Wrangler Unlimited on which it’s based. Still, it’s awesome. -DT]. 

What we have here is a bonafide sports Jeep, a wicked one-off that employs a classic formula for fun: Cut weight, chop top, add buckets of power, paint it something loud. While we likely won’t see a production Jeep that looks anything like the Scrambler 392, I’m glad this off-the-leash exercise exists. If the combustion engine is essentially dying, we might as well have some fun in its final years.

(Photo credits: Jeep)

Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.

• Jeep Adapted A 1978 Jeep Cherokee Body To A Jeep Wrangler 4xe Chassis. Check It Out

• Here Are The First Independent Photos Of The 2024 Jeep Recon Off-Roader. It Looks Great

• This 300,000 Mile Jeep Cherokee’s Original Owner Says He Had To Do Very Little To Keep The Jeep On The Road

• My Current Obsession: ‘Panel Delivery’ Jeep Wagoneers

• Jeep Just Killed Off The Cherokee, But Let’s Be Real: It’s Been Dead Since 2001

Got a hot tip? Send it to us here. Or check out the stories on our homepage.