Concept or Reality

It's not uncommon for us to get a close look at concept Jeeps. Usually, the vehicles range from totally wacked-out one-offs to suspicious creations that feature an unusual amount of production-looking or already-existing off-the-shelf parts. Some of these Jeeps will hopefully never get produced, while others show quite a bit of promise. The Jeep Rescue falls into the promising category in more ways than one. Did we mention it's a fullsize Jeep?

This concept Jeep has a real 3/4-ton frame, solid front and rear AAM 3/4-ton axles, a 325hp 600-lb-ft torque 5.9L HO Cummins Turbo Diesel mated to an NV5600 six-speed manual tranny and a huge NV273 part-time transfer case. Most of these components not only sound badass, but don't they sound a little familiar? They should, since the Jeep Rescue is based on an '04 Dodge 2500 truck.

It's really hard to visualize... 

   

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It's really hard to visualize the Rescue's overall size until you put it up against another Jeep you're familiar with. Next to our dirty Project Red sporting 35s, the Rescue is clearly much larger. The designers began by simply inflating the size of a Wrangler until it was proportionate with 40-inch tires. Then they shrunk down the wheelwells to fit 37s (actually 315/80R18s).

And when we say "based," we mean it's basically the 2500 frame and drivetrain with a handbuilt Jeep body. The fact that the Rescue does have a lot in common with the Dodge 2500 leads us to believe there is a very good possibility that the Rescue or some form of fullsize Jeep may get manufactured in the near future. We're crossing our fingers.

Of course, like most concepts, the Rescue features plenty of unnecessary wiz-bang high-tech widgets meant to distract you from noticing the ordinary meat-and-potatoes workhorse parts underneath, the hard parts that we hope find their way into a production Jeep.

The Rescue weighs in at around...        read full caption The Rescue weighs in at around 6,000 pounds, has a wheelbase of just over 122 inches and overall dimensions of 193.2 inches by 81.2 inches by 84.2 inches (length by width by height), including the roof rack. Can you say killer tow rig with a trail-gobbling overall crawl ratio of 70:1 that fits the whole family?	Rumor is that the Rescue grille...        read full caption Rumor is that the Rescue grille design could find its way on the Wrangler someday in the future. We say bring it on, although we might pass on the Extreme Green Pearl paint. In most lighting it simply looks like baby-poop green.	The 5.9L HO Cummins looks...        read full caption The 5.9L HO Cummins looks factory original under the hood of the Rescue. Nearly all of the wire harnesses and accessories are as you would find them under a 3/4-ton Dodge. We were told the designers started with a Hemi and then decided that gobs of fullsize torque from a diesel was the right way to go for the concept Jeep.
Up front is the out-of-truck...        read full caption Up front is the out-of-truck AAM axle. The suspension was wowified with billet radius arms and adjustable air springs. To keep costs down, we suspect a production model might feature a four-link and track bar similar to what's on the Dodge 2500.	The small camera mounted beneath...        read full caption The small camera mounted beneath the transmission hardly draws your attention away from the factory Dodge 2500 frame, crossmembers, transmission, transfer case and rear axle. The rear suspension features billet aluminum control arms similar to those on the front. Perhaps a production version of this FSJ could have rear leaf springs for more load-carrying capacity and simplicity. However, we'd love to see a functional and stout triangulated four-link with coils similar to what's under the current model Grand Cherokee.	The entire body of the Rescue...        read full caption The entire body of the Rescue is made from expensive carbon-fiber. Don't hold your breath for anything like that on a production Jeep. We like the fact that all four doors are removable. We could live without the fold-down windshield, as long as it can be unbolted and removed. Inside the Rescue are all kinds of billet and electric wizardry that we doubt will make it to the dealer lots anytime soon. We prefer an inexpensive, no-frills, hose-out, rubber-floor-mat kind of interior anyway.