When the 2021 Ford Bronco was unveiled back in July, Fiat-Chrysler’ Jeep simultaneously dropped a V8-powered Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept—the first eight-cylinder Wrangler since 1981. The timing made for a savage media stunt, but the vehicle itself was a precursor to a production version.
The official Jeep Instagram account has uploaded numerous short clips set to revving V8s with the captions, “Adventure with power,” “Tomorrow, prepare to get dirty faster,” and “Power you can see, hear and feel” ahead of the Wrangler Rubicon 392’s reveal.
Beneath the hood scoop is the same naturally-aspirated 6.4-liter Hemi V8 found the concept, but a different tuning has upped power from 450 to 470 horsepower and pound-feet of torque. The engine is based on a cast iron cylinder block and aluminum heads, an active intake manifold, variable camshaft timing, twin spark plugs per cylinder, sodium-filled exhaust valves, hollow-stem intake valves and piston oil cooling jets. Should the primary hood scoop get clogged during a mudding session, the hood also has a secondary intake.
That additional power is handled by a high-capacity TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission that can be actuated with aluminum paddle shifters, a first for the Wrangler. An active two-speed transfer case allows for 4WD Auto, 4WD High, Neutral and 4WD Low, which bodes well for capability on any terrain, as does a two-inch lift kit from the factory.
Jeep claimed that the concept was capable of a sub-five-second zero-to-60 mph, and they weren’t kidding. The Wrangler Rubicon 392 will speed in just 4.5 seconds, making it the quickest Wrangler ever. Torque Reserve, a technology borrowed from the drag racing world, manages fuel flow to the cylinders and controls spark advance to maximize launch performance.
Being the flagship Wrangler, the Rubicon 392 also gets bronze accents on the hood, tow hooks, and Fox Shocks decal outline and a slew of typically optional premium features:
- Leather interior
- Infotainment Group
- HD electrical switch bank
- Body-color hard top
- Body-color flares
- Steel Bumper Group
- LED Lighting Group
- Cold Weather Group
- Remote proximity entry
- Safety Group
- Advanced Safety Group
This’ll be the fifth power plant available on a production Wrangler, alongside the 2.0-liter inline-four, 3.6-liter Pentastart V6, turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V6, and the upcoming Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. Get excited.
