Jeep is furiously working on an all-new, aluminum-bodied Wrangler scheduled to debut in 2018, but the company hasn’t forgotten the current model, which will bow out of production with a new, even more capable special edition.
The Wrangler Rubicon has been the Jeep with all the maximum aftermarket-style upgrades for unparalleled capability in tasks like conquering the Rubicon Trail on the California-Nevada border. The new Recon Edition bolsters the Rubicon with still more off-road goodies that make this the new ultimate Wrangler.
While the Rubicon already had the guts of Dana 44 axles transferring power to its wheels, the Recon Edition armors those axles with strengthened tubes and heavy-duty end forgings plus heavy-duty cast front and rear differential covers.
And Jeep knows its owners like to go big on tire size, so it has actually shortened the rock rails that protect the underside of the body so that bigger 35-inch tires will fit.
Wrangler Rubicon Recon Edition comes in seven colors: Black, Bright White, Billet Silver, Firecracker Red, Gobi, Rhino and Granite Crystal. Visually, the Recon stands apart from regular Rubicons with its additional half-inch lift, new 17-inch Low Gloss Granite Crystal-painted aluminum wheels mounting 32-inch BF Goodrich KM off-road tires, optional body-color fender flares and a dual-vented Power Dome hood with a black-silhouette “Rubicon” decal on both sides. It also has a matte black/silver grille and red towing hooks add to the visual clues.
“With an array of beefed up off-road components, the new Rubicon Recon provides even more legendary Jeep Wrangler capability,” said Mike Manley, head of the Jeep brand. “With unmatched capability and a unique appearance, Rubicon Recon is the perfect Wrangler for our most loyal, diehard off-road enthusiasts who love to tackle the most demanding trails.”
The new 2017 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon Edition arrives in showrooms later this month with a base price of $39,145 for the two-door model and $42,945 for the four-door Wrangler Unlimited model.