One of the teaser images leading up to the 2022 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah included a hint about making a truck more like an SUV. With the even in Moab beginning today and the embargo on the early information lifting, we have the details on this unique Gladiator.
It is called the Jeep Bob Concept and the name references to the act of removing length from a truck bed – or bobbing the bed – to create a better off-road vehicle. Shortening the overhang behind the rear axle improves approach and departure angles, so in a vehicle with a longer bed section at the very back, bobbing the bed can be very beneficial. To show how beneficial, the Jeep team has created the Bob Concept, offering a more SUV-like feel from the popular new Gladiator pickup.
Jeep Bob Concept Design
At first glance, the Jeep Bob Concept looks like a heavily modified Gladiator – because it is – but as you examine the sides and rear, you notice just how much has been changed about this midsized pickup. First off, there are no doors and the B-pillar has been removed and the custom sheet metal work around the opening creates a clean, two-door look. There is a roll cage for support and protection along the sides, and rather than the standard roof, a canvas roof has been stretched across the top of the roll cage and out to the rear of the bed.
Speaking of the bed, the standard cargo box of this Gladiator has been trimmed a full foot, now ending just past the rear wheel openings. The tailgate has been removed to make room for a racing style spare tire mount, but a cargo rack has been added just above the bed for improved storage space. The rear end is punctuated by a custom steel bumper, which matches the custom bumper up front, complete with big LED fog lights.
Along the sides, the Bob Concept sports custom wheel flares, making plenty of room for the 20-inch wheels wrapped in 40-inch mud tires to move. There is also an aggressive looking vented carbon fiber hood that helps the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine breathe more easily.
Finally, in addition to the powerful-yet-efficient diesel engine, the Jeep Bob Concept features a custom suspension setup that lifts the truck with King coils and bypass shocks along with Dynatrac Pro-Rock 60 axles front and rear.
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