On Saturday, we covered the story of Jeep posting a tease on its Instagram social media account. It was a sketch of a Jeep Wrangler hood with a hood bulge. On the side of that bulge were the numbers 392. This implied that Jeep was going to introduce a V8 for its Wrangler some time down the road. This morning, on the same day the Ford Bronco is to debut, Jeep confirmed that a Jeep Wrangler will indeed have a 6.4-liter, V8. 

Shots fired at Ford

It is not unusual to have a manufacturer try to steal some of the spotlights from another that is about to announce some anticipated news. That is what is happening here. The Ford Bronco reveal has been anticipated by much of the off-road community. That is scheduled to happen tonight at 8 pm. In the meantime, Jeep does not want people to forget that they are kind of a big deal already in the off-road industry. So, they are taking the opportunity to provide a little distraction from the Bronco hubbub by announcing they have a new take on the Wrangler. A V8 that people have been requesting for decades made its debut.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler model year is an off-roaders dream

As we just mentioned, a 392 V8 will be joining the lineup of the Wrangler line. This means that the Wrangler offerings will be pretty broad. There is going to be an engine available for almost any need. Want to tow? The EcoDiesel is there. Want to shred tires? The new 392 V8 will be there. Want a happy middle ground? There is a V6 offered too! But, all is not as it seems. More on that later. 

The specifications of the 392 V8

There is a good bit of information about the specifications of the 2021 Wrangler outfitted with the 392 that was made available in a press release this morning. Here is some of it.

• 6.4-liter V-8 engine with 392 cubic inches of displacement results in 450 horsepower,450 lb.-ft. of torque and a 0-60 mph time of less than five seconds
• The Jeep brand’s exclusive Trail Rated criteria have been enhanced with the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept
• Unmatched 4×4 capability courtesy of added torque, Dana 44 axles, full-time two-speed transfer case, electric front- and rear-axle lockers, 37-inch mud-terrain tires and a Jeep Performance Parts two-inch factory lift kit
• Robust eight-speed transmission, massive low-end torque and 3.73 gear ratio combine to deliver improved on-road performance and greater off-road capability
• Two-mode exhaust alters performance sound at touch of a button
• Custom exterior design features half doors, Granite Crystal paint and Bronze-colored accents on tow hooks, springs, shocks, wheels and badging
• Unique interior features Red Rock-colored leather seats with gold stitching and a performance steering wheel.

The problem with the Wrangler Rubicon 392

There is a big problem with this news. Although a 392 joining the lineup of the Wrangler camp would be great for fans, and Jeep has proved they have the ability to create them for the Wrangler, they are instead saying that this is a concept. Yeah, a concept. As in, It is not ready for production. The press release does not say that the 392 V8 will become available for the 2021 model year, as was anticipated. Also, nowhere does it say when orders can be placed. Additionally, nowhere does it say when the orders will start arriving at dealership lots. In other words, it can be assumed that they just built one copy and are sitting back to gauge public interest. 

This Jeep 392 Wrangler is just a distraction

Saturday’s Instagram sketch post heightened the Jeep fanbase excitement. The press release this morning filled in the details and proved that Jeep listens to its fans that want a V8. Not only that, it shows that Jeep has found a way to make a V8 work in the Wrangler. But, it is all a tease in a one-off concept vehicle. We still do not know anything about whether this concept will go to production. In essence, this was just a distraction. It was like Jeep was saying, yeah, the Ford Bronco is coming, but we are still pretty cool too.

UPDATE 2:35 PM. : Two hours after publishing this post, Jeep posted on their Instagram account again. The post was another Wrangler Rubicon 392 tease. More shots were fired at Ford as the exhaust of the V8 was shown to be making wild horses scared. Wild horses – you know, Broncos. A clear indicator that the off-road war is getting fun and serious. Here is the link.