Not much has been heard from Jeep->ke40 in recent months, but that hasn’t stopped the brand from showing up at SEMA to unveil the Jeep Lower Forty concept. The off-road vehicle, which is based on the Jeep Wrangler->ke425, was fine-tuned by Mopar Underground and is powered by a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine with a Getrag six-speed manual transmission that uses a Dana 44 axle in the front and a Dana 60 axle out back with both being fitted with 5.38 gears.
Jeep also took the liberty of adding mammoth 40-inch tires to the Lower Forty concept, which was done by taking away a number sheet metals from the vehicles and increasing the width of the fender by an inch and raising it up four inches higher to make room for the 40-inch tires.
Jeep also included a slew of other features for their Lower Forty concept, including the addition of a carbon fiber hood, a chopped windshield, a custom bikini top, and a new rear tailgate.
Additional features include a carbon fiber hood, custom bikini top, a chopped windshield, and a color-matched interior with Katzkin leather seating. You can read more details after the jump, and we have plenty of high-res photos in the gallery below.
Press Release after the jump.
PRESS RELEASE:
The Jeep "Lower Forty" takes the Jeep Wrangler platform to a new extreme. The vehicle is equipped with massive 40-inch x 13.5-inch tires mounted on Mopar's 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels. Mopar added aggressive wheels and tires to a stock, two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon without the use of a suspension lift. The team's goal was to achieve added ground clearance without dramatically altering the vehicle's center of gravity. The team removed copious amounts of body metal in order to provide room for 40-inch meats. Three inches are chopped from the windshield frame and a 10-degree rake is added.
Custom front and rear fender flares are 1-inch wider and are located 4 inches higher than a stock Jeep Wrangler. A new one-piece carbon-fiber hood with a Jeep CJ-like power dome and an all-new drop-down tailgate stamped with the "Jeep" logo are added to complete the exterior design.
On the interior, an all-new roll cage is neatly integrated into the body tub and tied directly into the frame rails. A custom made bikini top from Bestop keeps drivers in the shade. The spare tire is relocated to the cargo floor and a custom cargo rack, supplied by Poly Performance, holds extra gear. Once all body modifications were completed, the exterior received a fresh coat of Red Eye No. 3 paint, a custom color developed by Mopar.
Custom touches throughout the interior include a color-matched center console and instrument panel. Seats are re-covered with Mopar's Katzkin leather package in a two-tone scheme. Replacing the carpet is a durable, spray-in truck-bed liner. Rugged Mopar floor mats complete the theme.
Mechanical upgrades came directly out of the Mopar catalog. The Jeep "Lower Forty" features an all-new 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine and a Getrag 238 six-speed manual transmission. Powertrain installations were handled by Burnsville Off-Road using an AEV 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 conversion kit.
The Mopar-supplied Dana 44 front axle and a Dana 60 rear axle, fitted with 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers, were assembled by Dynatrac and revalved Bilstein shocks maintain vehicle stability on rough terrain.
