Today I said goodbye to a Jeep that practically belches "The Star-Spangled Banner" out of its exhaust pipes. Fire up the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition and King George III reanimates only to get punched in the face by zombie George Washington.
Yeah, if the V8 is going to go out, it's going out with a bang.
A six-figured bang -- this is no cheap Jeep. You need to drop over $90K just to get in the door, and selecting the Final Edition means you are going to have to include items like leather seats, a Warn winch, fold-out table, special graphics and badging, special suspension, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels shod with 35-inch rubber, on-board air compressor, grille guard, and a Jeep tool kit. It's a bit confusing because of how Stellantis brands arrange their Monroneys, but as far as I can tell, the roll-back, soft-top power roof was the only stand-alone option on my test rig. The final price: $108,475 including D and D.
Under the hood is the 6.4-liter Hemi that makes 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, and it hooks up to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It's got full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case.
The suspension is lifted another half an inch on top of the Rubicon's two-inch and off-road goodies not previously mentioned include an intake that can funnel water away, electronic locking differentials, sway bar disconnect, off-road gauges available via the infotainment system, and a on-board trail guide.
Let's get on with the pros and cons.
One note: I didn't have the time to trek to the nearest off-road park for a comprehensive off-road test. I hope I get that chance with one of these soon, since armed with those tires, I'd probably not get stuck. And if I did, the winch could dig me out.
Maybe I will get that chance -- even though Jeep calls this a Final Edition, the brand recently announced this trim will return for the 2025 model year. The 2025 will be nearly identical, though it will lose the grille guard and special Jeep toolkit (it's unclear if those items will be available via Mopar).
So if you missed out on being one of the 3,700 buyers of the 2024 model -- and you probably did, since limited-edition vehicles tend to sell out even before we can arrange a test loan -- you have another shot at one.
Just prepare to not only spend a lot on your car payment each month, but also have a large fuel budget handy.
Do it not for yourself, but for America.
[Images © 2024 Tim Healey/TTAC.com]
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