Jeep has unveiled the Wrangler Rubicon 1941 at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Decked in a bevy of options and off-road accessories, the Mopar-tuned off-roader is basically a catalog on four wheels. It’s based on the Wrangler Rubicon, and it’s decked out with enough useful and functional upgrades to make your outdoor adventures less of a hassle. While the Wrangler Rubicon 1941 itself is unlikely to hit production in Europe, its presence in Geneva is less about showing off its exclusivity and more about showing off the many customizable options that are available to the European-spec Wrangler Rubicon. Best of all, the Wrangler Rubicon 1941’s upgrades and accessories are all street-legal. If you want Mopar to build you one that's to the exact specifications of the version sitting in Geneva, there's a roadmap that can make that happen.

An American Classic Lands In Europe

That model is the Wrangler Rubicon 1941, a Mopar-tuned off-roader that wears a lot of the accessories and options that Jeep and Mopar are offering for the go-anywhere off-road vehicle. It’s a four-wheeled advertisement of sorts that’s meant to showcase the improvements that can be made to the Wrangler Rubicon’s appearance and, more importantly, off-road capability.

Geneva’s a fitting place for the Wrangler Rubicon 1941’s debut since the new JL generation of the Wrangler is currently available in Europe. Our perception of our friends from Europe may be that of the more sophisticated type, but with the Wrangler Rubicon 1941, they can show us that they, too, can get down and dirty in the muck, or at least try to. With this kitted out Wrangler Rubicon, they can do just that.

It’s probably not enough to look at it in those terms, but whatever perceptions exist in this world, no one’s going to confuse the Wrangler Rubicon 1941 for anything other than a take-you-anywhere off-roader. The model that’s currently at the Geneva Motor Show certainly looks the part of one. It’s dressed up in a Hella Yella exterior paint, which is really just a cool nickname for a shade of yellow-orange that’s screaming for attention. It’s littered with visual upgrades, too, none more eye-catching than the “1941” decal on the hood. There’s symbolism and importance in that as 1941 was the first year of birth of the original military Jeep from Willys. It’s a solid hat tip to Jeep’s long and proud history. The rest of the visual upgrades include black trim accents on the sides of the off-roader. There’s also a matte black grille because why not? The door handles, door sills, mirror caps, and mudguards all get the same treatment. Meanwhile, the roof is a soft top made from mesh.

From the splashy color and the black accents, it’s hard to take your eyes off it. Obviously, the Wrangler Rubicon 1941’s aesthetic look is just one part of its overall makeup. More important than that are the accessories and equipment it’s carrying. There’s a lot of them, too, beginning with a few obvious ones that you can see from the photos of the off-roader. The snorkel air intake is bolted on the passenger side of the off-roader. That comes in handy when the Wrangler Rubicon 1941 is waist deep in water. Less conspicuous are the rock rails, which are installed at the bottom of the door to protect the door sills from unwanted damage, especially when the off-roader has to cross large obstacles. The Wrangler Rubicon 1941 also riders higher than usual, thanks in large part to a two-inch suspension lift kit that provides precious extra space for the off-roader to run amok without damaging its underbelly.

Some of you might be wondering if this is everything that Mopar is offering for the Wrangler Rubicon. The short answer is “no,” it’s not. Mopar’s list of accessories for the Wrangler Rubicon reads like a long overdue grocery list. There are more options and accessories available to the Wrangler. It’s just counterproductive to run through all of them, especially since we’re talking about the Rubicon 1941 in this space.

Speaking of which, the Euro-spec Rubicon is unique in its own right. Unlike the U.S.-spec model, the Euro version of the Wrangler Rubicon comes with a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine that produces a stout 200 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. This version isn’t available in the U.S., though the European market also has the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine that’s available in the U.S. This powertrain is responsible for a tidy 270 horses and 295 pound-feet of torque. Sadly, the 3.6-liter V-6-powered Wrangler Rubicon isn’t sold in Europe. That’s only available in the U.S. and specific markets in Africa and the Middle East.

Regardless of which engines are available where, that shouldn’t take away from anything that Jeep and Mopar created with the Wrangler Rubicon 1941. There’s no clear word on whether the off-roader will hit European dealerships anytime soon, but even if it doesn’t, there’s no need to feel bad about it. All you need to do is contact your local Jeep dealership, ask what Mopar parts are available, and do your best to recreate the Wrangler Rubicon 1941. Who knows, you might even throw in a few extra goodies along the way.

2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 1941 Powertrain Specs

Engine

2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder

Horsepower

220

Torque

332 pound-feet


Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

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