For most of the automotive industry, the biggest show of the year for showing off customized versions of all sorts of cars is SEMA,->ke216 which is happening now in Las Vegas. The exception is Jeep,->ke40 which holds its own annual event every Easter in Moab, Utah, and always brings a wide variety of customized Jeep products. it seems that Jeep still doesn't want to be left out of SEMA they year, however, so this year there is a Jeep concept->ke169 at the Vegas show that “pays tribute to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers off-road club that hosts the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.”

So, even Jeep's SEMA vehicle is a nod to the big unveiling in Moab, but that's fine -- Jeep can call it whatever it wants so long as we keep getting new customized concepts. The concept, named the Red Rock Concept after the club that inspired its creation, is different in one other important way. It hasn't just been built to show off the kinds of accessories that you can find in the Mopar catalog. The Red Rock Concept is also a preview of an upcoming special edition of the Wrangler -- one that will also be called Red Rock.

Continue reading to learn more about the Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Concept.

Exterior

The Red Rock is based, at least in this concept form, on the four-door Wrangler Unlimited, even though all four of those doors have been removed. Specifically, it is based on the Rubicon Hard Rock trim of the Wrangler Unlimited, the highest trim level currently offered. The Rubican badge has been replaced with a badge that says Red Rock, and the hood is now domed and vented, with the power dome painted in matte black.

There is a 2-inch lift and a new set of 17-inch beadlock wheels with 25-inch all-terrain tires, including a full-sized spare -- pretty much essential if you're going to be off-roading. The wheels are low gloss black, but the bead lock rings are specifically Granite Chrystal, the same shade as the bumpers and all of the exterior badging. There is a new winch, made by Warn, and the headlights and foglights are all LEDs. There is no mention of whether the red paint is special or specific to the Red Rock.

Interior

The big change for the interior of the Red Rock is the new Katzkin leather upholstery in Amaretto Brown. The front seats also have “Red Rock” embroidered on them, and there is special grab handle plaque that also says “Red Rock”. This last feature will definitely be included in the production version of the special edition, and will also feature the serialized production number.

There is also a Jeep-branded CB radio, something that surprisingly isn't already in the Mopar catalog. It's still a pretty simple interior, but that's really what you want in this kind of vehicle.

Drivetrain

The Rubicon Hard Rock is already as off-road focused as the Wrangler gets in stock form, but the Red Rock gives it an extra little nudge. It has front and rear Dana 44 solid axles, electronic locking differentials, and a new set of off-road rock rails. There is a Rock-Trac transfer case with a 4:1 low range and a 73.1:1 crawl range with a manual transmission.

The engine remains unchanged, and there is only one offered for the whole of the Wrangler range. It is a 3.6-liter V-6 that produces a respectable 285 horsepower. You have a choice of a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission, but to really get the most out of the vehicle's off-road capabilities, the manual is the better choice.

Conclusion

It will be interesting to see just how this concept translates into a special edition, and just how it will be priced. Obviously, most of the parts have already been available through Mopar or other sources for years. So Jeep will need to either offer a price break on bundling all of these options together or offer something exclusive to this edition, apart from the series plaque. Jeep is saying the edition will be out in 2016, so hopefully this means the production version will show up in Moab on Easter alongside whatever concepts Jeep decides to show us this time around. This will be the 50th year of the Easter Jeep Safari, so it is obviously fitting for there to be something special there, and we should expect something well above and beyond the usual fare.