Mopar’s 5 SEMA 2021 builds could include hybrid TRX and restomodded military Kaiser
Seeing a whole new crop of freshly built custom vehicles is one of the best parts of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. Leading up to this year’s show, which kicks off November 2, Mopar is showing off a few concept sketches that give us some clues about the brand’s featured vehicles. As usual, we can expect to see the booth filled with customized Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs that highlight the performance parts and accessories available straight from the Mopar parts counter. Let’s see what we can glean from these tightly cropped and purposefully vague renderings.
The wonderfully flared Ram shown above is clearly a TRX, but the color of the grille emblem and tow hooks seem to hint at hybrid power. Of course, the supercharged half-ton is the farthest thing possible from a fuel-sipper, so this would come as an about-face—but when Jeep showed teasers of a vehicle wearing this color scheme, it wound up being the Wrangler 4xe. The Ram 1500s with the 48-volt eTorque hybrid also add blue badging. The turbo four-cylinder hybrid powerplant from the Wrangler 4xe could be powering this truck, or perhaps it’s a combination of the Ram’s 5.7-liter Hemi and a plug-in battery system. It’s fun to imagine the possibilities.
Speaking of Wrangler 4xe, this Rubicon bathed in both the light of an aurora and a cowl-monted LED spotlight is likely a hybrid model as well, since it also shares the silver-and-blue color combo seen on the TRX. We expect this is a trail build that uses a host of Mopar accessories.
The black-and-blue Ram crew cab 4×4 shows off a bed rack, RamBox storage, and a hexagonal graphic. Judging by the off-road tires and dome tent, we’ll assume this will be an overland-oriented build that, like the Wrangler Rubicon above, is a relatively mild build that flaunts an interesting combination of Mopar parts.
Mopar has never shied away from a customized classic, whether that’s a Charger with a 1000-hp crate engine or a refreshed Jeep CJ. This olive-drab brute pays homage to Jeep’s vast military history and seems to be a restomodded classic (although Jeep has been known to drop a classic-looking front end on modern 4x4s). The Kaiser Jeep M715 was a militarized version of the Gladiator pickup, so our bets are on a lovingly restored classic built with modern performance, as we’ve seen in a previous Easter Jeep Safari concept. The tall roof in particular hints at an off-road-ready camper.
Finally, this interior shot appears to show a Wrangler Unlimited with a safari-style roof boasting additional windows. Tops like these have been available from aftermarket companies for years, but it would be exciting if Jeep would consider adding a high-top roof of its own. For Jeep Wrangler Unlimited owners looking to turn their 4×4 into a camper, a few extra inches of rear roof height would make a huge difference.
We’ll be on the ground at SEMA to show you these Mopar builds, and dozens of others, in just a couple of weeks. In the meantime, let us know what you hope to see from Mopar and elsewhere once the vehicles are fully revealed.
