Jeep celebrates 20 years of Wrangler Rubicon with two special models. However, they cost a lot.
They like to celebrate their birthdays at Jeep, there are plenty of opportunities. And with it, of course, the opportunity to earn a little money with a suitable anniversary model. This time the Wrangler Rubicon is the occasion, whose 20th birthday Jeep is now celebrating with two variants as the 20th Anniversary Edition. Not exactly timed, because we sat in a Wrangler Rubicon for the first time back in 2002 (see picture below), but we don't want to be petty about it.
, The official 20th anniversary brings with it two special versions, the bearish Wrangler Rubicon 392 with its 470 hp V8 engine and, from exactly the opposite direction, the Wrangler Rubicon 4XE as a contemporary plug-in hybrid.
Off-road tuning ex works
The Rubicon is a good example of "tuning ex works", because since its debut it has had all kinds of accessories installed as standard that you would otherwise have to screw together with great effort. Essentially, these have always been reinforced rigid axles with differential locks, since the Wrangler JK, a special chassis with a stabilizer that can be decoupled at the push of a button, and a special transfer case with super-short off-road gear ratio.
Of course, the current 20th Anniversary Edition anniversary models also come with all of this, but also a few nice gimmicks. The chassis is raised by 13 millimeters, plus 33-inch off-road tires on beadlock rims. A new front bumper with the option of mounting a winch, a new radiator grille, red and black leather interior and a front off-road camera are on board as technology updates. The birthday child is completed with deco stickers and – for whatever reason – an 83-piece tool set.
In terms of price, the birthday children are no slouch, with 69,585 dollars (about 65,150 euros) for the Rubicon 4XE and 90,895 dollars (about 85,100 euros) they are each about 6,700 dollars above the normal versions without anniversary stickers. If that's still too cheap for you, you can invest another 22,000 dollars in a Rubicon 20th Anniversary Level II Upgrade American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), now it's getting long (limited to 150 pieces). But then, see the picture gallery, there are still many nice things from the off-road kit, such as a lift kit with 37-inch tires, cable winch, additional headlights and various attachments. The 392 and the Level II upgrade will certainly not make it to Europe, but the chances are not bad for an official German launch of the Wrangler 4xe Rubicon 20th Anniversary.
Conclusion
Jeep has been building the Wrangler Rubicon as a particularly off-road version for three model generations. In 2023 this will be celebrated with two anniversary models for the 20th birthday. One of them, the Wrangler Rubicon 20th Anniversary, will probably also be included in the program in Germany.
