Last week was hectic for Mopar enthusiasts with a deluge of updates on Stellantis’ revival strategies, which encompass 60 new models and 50 updates by 2030. That’s substantial, but hidden in that strategy for Jeep enthusiasts was an exciting new vehicle: the Scrambler.
After trying to absorb the Scrambler’s features within a few minutes, we reported on the upcoming truck’s removable roof, flip-down rear seats, suspension details, and potentially a V8 engine. Yet, many questions remained unanswered, including the mechanics behind the rear seats and the reasoning for their design.
In Detroit, Michigan, Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Ram and head of SRT, addressed these topics in an exclusive chat on The Drivecast, clarifying the rationale behind the Scrambler’s reversible rear seats: “the quick answer is you can then fold that seat back flat and it forms a bed platform like a truck,” remarked Kuniskis.
Tune into the full discussion starting when Kuniskis elaborates on the Scrambler’s design and configuration below.
Indeed, Kuniskis detailed how Jeep is fulfilling fan requests that have persisted for years: constructing an Easter Jeep Safari concept vehicle and bringing it into actual production. A significant milestone awaits.
Kuniskis characterized the Scrambler as “absolutely awesome.”
Offering a more in-depth explanation of the layout, Kuniskis stated, “We take the front door and instead of having four doors, we increase the size of the front door considerably. Just as one would do with a two-door Charger compared to a four-door version, right? This way, the front door becomes much larger, allowing access to the front seat and providing easy entry to the back seat, reminiscent of classic two-door vehicles.”
Kuniskis added, “However, regarding the rear—I’ll refer to it as the back cap—if you think of a pickup truck, the camper cap can be removed similar to an old K5 Blazer. This can be detached, and the rear seats are situated at the same height as the fronts. Thus, while you’re inside—the experience feels like being in a four-door Wrangler.”
Lastly, regarding the movable rear seats, “Because the top is removable, we modified the rear seats to be detachable and reversible, allowing them to face backward. That’s the reason we included a step on the side, enabling you to approach the side of the vehicle, skip the door, utilize the step, jump in the back, and take a seat. That’s neat, yet that’s not the primary goal. The main goal is, once the top is off, you can fold the seat down flat, forming a bed area like a truck bed. When that’s done and with the top removed, you end up with a larger cargo area than a Gladiator,” Kuniskis explained.
For reference, the Jeep Gladiator has a brief 5-foot bed in all configurations along with four doors.
Kuniskis pointed out that the Scrambler will be “a versatile tool” among trucks.
No timeline has been set for the launch of the Jeep Scrambler, which is expected to be called Jeep Gladiator Scrambler SRT. It’s positioned as a flagship model, unique from others, and is likely to be released towards the end of the plan. This implies that revisions and updates to the wider Jeep lineup will precede the Scrambler’s introduction, possibly in 2029 or 2030.
Pricing remains uncertain, but as a flagship model, it’s difficult to envision the Scrambler being priced below $65,000.
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