Leaked Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 pre-order suggests $75,000 base price
A post on the JL Wrangler Forums, subsequently reported over at Motor1, has been gaining a lot of attention: A forum member there with a Wrangler Rubicon 392 pre-order shared their order status showing a $77,055 MSRP. With only a dual top option ($1200) and tow package ($795), that appears to peg the base price right around $75,000. Seventy-five large is some serious cash for any Wrangler, 392 or otherwise, but should it really be surprising?
The 392 marks the first time a Wrangler will get V-8 power from the factory. The Wrangler’s predecessor, the Jeep CJ-7, had 304 AMC V-8 power starting in the ‘70s but pushrod inline-sixes were the top powertrain for the YJ and TJ, and V-6s have been the go-to since the JK Wrangler debuted in 2007. Many Jeep fans have been waiting for a V-8 Wrangler for years, if not decades. The 392’s 470hp will be a welcome addition to the lineup, especially in a vehicle that is often lifted and fitted with hundreds of pounds of accessories and off-road gear. We’ve driven a 392 Wrangler. Even with 37-inch tires, it was the business.
Given the standard features of the Wrangler Rubicon 392, that roughly $75,000 base price sort of … adds up. Rubicon 392s come equipped with almost all the hardware from the Rubicon except for its 4:1 transfer case, which is not really needed when you’ve got V-8 torque on tap. That means it’s got an electronic front sway bar disconnect, electronic-locking front and rear differentials, and stronger steering knuckles. Plus, it also has Fox shocks and a reinforced chassis that’s likely quite similar to the Gladiator Mojave—meant to stand up to the abuse of higher-speed desert driving over whoops.
Even though its transfer case doesn’t have a 4:1 low—it’s 2.72:1 like other Jeep transfer cases—it is a full-time unit, which is normally an additional-cost option. Besides the beefier underbody components, the 392 will also bring more creature comforts and technology with a suite of 11 standard features that are normally optional on other Wranglers. Those goodies include the advanced safety group, LED lighting, premium infotainment, upgraded steel bumpers, and body-colored hardtop and flares. Add all of those options to a 3.6-liter V-6 Wrangler Unlimited with the eight-speed automatic and the price crests $60,000.
It’s true that the factory would have an easier time building a Jeep with a 392 than an aftermarket upfitter would have swapping one in, but there’s still no shop out there that’s going to be able to turn that kind of service around for $15,000. That said, there may still be demand for a lower-spec Wrangler with V-8 power. Keeping in mind that Jeep hasn’t officially released the Wrangler Rubicon 392 pricing, we wouldn’t expect the price to be too far off what this supposed leak suggests. The fat MSRP is consistent with Jeep’s apparent reasoning that those willing to opt for the V-8 premium aren’t going to mind bringing the luxury options along with it. In any case, we’ve emailed Jeep in the (unlikely) event that a representative will confirm the starting price, and we’ll update this story with a response if we get one.
