Jeep celebrates with 10th Anniversary Rubicon

IN celebration of 10 years of the nameplate in Australia, Jeep is offering a strictly limited edition Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition with extra gear and even better off-road ability.

The limited run of 30 Anniversary Editions – 12 examples of the two-door and 18 of the four-door – should be quickly snapped up by enthusiasts, with Jeep claiming it is the “most capable factory-produced Jeep Wrangler ever released.” Pricing for the limited edition off-roader kicks off from $49,000 plus on-road costs for the two-door, while $53,000 will get you into a four-door model.

This marks a $6000 increase in price over the regular Rubicon on which the 10th Anniversary Edition is based, but Jeep included improvements to the off-roading ability and Mopar-branded accessories to sweeten the deal.

Jeep has boosted the ride height by half an inch (approx. 13mm) over the standard Rubicon provides more ground clearance and the 10th Anniversary Edition has a crawl ratio of 73.1:1 when matched with a manual gearbox.

A dual-intake “Power Dome” bonnet that helps aid engine cooling gives the Rubicon an even more hard-core look, as do the Mopar rock rails that are fitted to better protect the car from off-road damage.

A large red ‘Rubicon’ decal runs down the side of the bonnet and ‘10th Anniversary’ badges feature on the front quarter panels.

Other noticeable additions to the body include Mopar tail-light guards and black fuel-filler door, while the tyres are mounted on 17-inch Rubicon black aluminium wheels with a red Wrangler logo on the outside lip.

The 10th Anniversary Edition comes with a standard body-coloured hard-top, but a soft-top is also included in the price. Just two colours are available for the limited model – white and an exclusive army-green colour called ‘anvil’.

The cabin features red stitching on the leather steering wheel and console and bright red leather seats with ‘Rubicon 10th Anniversary’ embroidered into the front seats.

A plaque in the dash lists technical data of the vehicle, as well as tyre size and location of manufacture.

More 10th Anniversary branding can be found as a part of the gauge cluster, and on the grab handles, while Mopar floor mats and unique axle locker and sway-bar disconnect controls round out the additions to the cabin.

Other standard gear on the limited edition Rubicon includes tinted windows, Uconnect media system with a 6.4-inch touchscreen and sat-nav and a reversing camera.

As with the regular Rubicon, the 10th Anniversary is powered by a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 producing 209kW/347Nm and is available with the choice of a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional five-speed auto, for an extra $2000.

President and CEO of the Fiat Chrysler Group Australia Veronica Johns said the special edition is a tribute to 10 years of Wrangler history for the brand.

“The Wrangler Rubicon has been designed for the Jeep brand’s most passionate enthusiasts and we expect this exclusive expression of the nameplate to be keenly sought after, as it offers an unprecedented level of capability straight from the showroom floor,” she said.

Named after the grueling four-wheel drive trail in America’s Sierra Nevada ranges, the first Rubicon went on sale locally in 2003 and the nameplate continued with the introduction of the current generation Wrangler in 2007.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary pricing*

Wrangler two-door	$49,000
Wrangler two-door (a)	$51,000
Wrangler four-door	$53,000
Wrangler four-door (a)	$55,000

*Plus on-road costs