It’s official! Jeep has unveiled the MY2021 V8 Wrangler Rubicon 392 model… and it will go on sale stateside early next year.
How does 350kW (470hp) and 637Nm (470lb-ft) sound? That’s what the V8-powered Wrangler Rubicon 392 will deliver when it hits US showrooms in the first quarter of 2021. That’s enough grunt, according to Jeep, to propel the V8 Wrangler Rubicon 392 from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, and result in a quarter-mile time of just 13-seconds flat. Pretty handy for a rig with genuine off-road capability.
Turn the volume up because here a short clip of it in action:
The new V8-powered Wrangler is based on a concept vehicle unveiled earlier this year, but if you want to park a Rubicon 392 in your driveway, don’t hold your breath. At this stage it’s a left-hand drive only model, and there’s little chance of it coming to Australia, at least in an official capacity.
The V8 in question is a 6.4L unit mated to a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The Rubicon 392 features Torque Reserve, allowing brake torque launches for maximum acceleration on road, and and AMax shifting, which is a performance-enhancing strategy that maximises forward torque by coordinating shift time and engine torque management.
And as the new V8-powered Wrangler is a Rubicon-spec vehicle, the 392 gets off-road hardware such as Jeep’s Selec-Trac two-speed transfer case with a 48:1 crawl ratio, a high-mount alternator, full-time four-wheel-drive system, heavy-duty wide track Dana 44 axles with Tru-Lok electronic locking differentials, and an electronic front sway-bar disconnect for maximum axle articulation.
Ensuring there’s plenty of ground clearance, the 392 gets a factory 2-inch lift with unique suspension geometry and FOX high-performance shocks. It runs on standard-equipment 17-inch beadlock-capable rims with 33-inch rubber. This results in 262mm of ground clearance, a 44.5-degree approach angle, 22.6-degree breakover and 37.5-degree departure, along with an 825mm water-fording capability.
The V8 Wrangler Rubicon 392 gets a huge bonnet scoop to feed cool air to the engine. Although there’s no snorkel, the 392 is equipped with a Hydro-Guide air intake system with tri-level ducting through a series of drains, including a one-way drain in the air box that separates up to 60-litres per minute of water away from the engine’s incoming air ensuring bow waves over the bonnet shouldn’t present any problems.
“This is the most-powerful, quickest, most-capable Jeep Wrangler we’ve ever built,” Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand – FCA North America said. “The factory lift and abundant low-end torque from the V8 makes the Rubicon 392 the king of the hills, whether you’re rock crawling at low speeds or powering up an incline. And when pavement replaces dirt, Rubicon 392 makes quick work of the road.”
As you’d expect, the Rubicon 392 is packed with goodies and standard equipment includes:
- Leather interior
- Infotainment Group
- HD electrical switch bank
- Body-colour hardtop
- Body-colour flares
- Steel Bumper Group
- LED Lighting Group
- Cold Weather Group
- Remote proximity entry
- Safety Group
- Advanced Safety Group
Jeep performance arm Mopar will also offer a number of factory-engineered parts and accessories such as LED off-road lights, Rubicon winch, Ultimate Dana 44 Advantek front axle with gear ratios available up to 5.38, new off-road beadlock-capable wheels suitable for larger tyres, tube doors, off-road bumpers, rock rails and more.
