2019 Easter Jeep Safari, USA - Jeep WAYOUT
A straw poll of JUST 4x4s staffers awarded the Wayout the best concept of this year’s Easter Jeep Safari. And that wasn’t just because it was fitted with Aussie ARB on-board air compressor!
With its retro military looks and clever in-built camping set-up, it not only looked ready to go anywhere, but able to provide a comfy place to rest when you got there!
On the off-road capability side of things, the Gladiator Rubicon-based Wayout started with a Jeep Performance Parts 2-inch lift kit and Fox shocks, adding a 12,000-lb Warn winch and Jeep Performance Parts snorkel.
The tough 17-inch solid steel wheels (from Wheel Vintiques) evoked the look of both WWII Jeeps and the early Willys pickups, while the use of Falken Wildpeak M/T 37-inch tyres on the concept was a welcome change from the BFGs.
The wheels and body were finished in ‘Gator Green’; a colour Jeep says will be added to the production Gladiator range in the future, but whether those retro-style wheels will also be available is unlikely.
Exterior detail touches included lower body armour and contrast colour wheelarch flares, while a khaki Freedom Top and military-look Jeep Design Department logo kept the theme going.
The camping rig on this concept started with a custom rear rack to hold a wind-up, 2-person Maggiolina rooftop tent, with ladder access added to the nearside and a 270-degree Alu-Cab awning mounted on the offside.
The tent set-up was actually slightly recessed into the concept’s roof, with amber LED task lighting fitted to the rack to illuminate the tray area, which added the same Mopar/Decked lockable bed drawer system from the Gravity concept. In a cool touch on the Wayout, one of those drawers was set up as a bar, with all the ingredients to make margaritas!
Other cool touches included a pair of auxiliary fuel tanks incorporated into custom cut-outs in the tray’s outer sides and a topographical map graphic on the steel ‘export’ bonnet (US market Gladiators get an aluminium bonnet).
Under the bonnet, the stock Gladiator 3.6-litre V6 was matched to an 8-speed auto, while the Wayout’s interior was customised with brown leather seats laser-etched with topographical map designs. The same distressed-look leather was added to the armrests. A bedlined floor and khaki dash also featured inside, with reproduction travel stickers added to emphasise the Wayout’s go-anywhere potential.
