The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is made out of tough stuff. How tough? Tough enough to be the basis for the Hendrick Dynamics Commando, an ultralight tactical vehicle designed for use by the U.S. military.

This 1940 Bantam is the result of four years of work, 3,500 hours labor, and $80,000. But that doesn’t even begin to capture all that went into bringing this Jeep to life.

We got a chance to take the new Jeep Wrangler Willys Wheeler for some fun in the mud. Here’s what we found out.

With all the talk of new Jeeps, at times, it’s easy to forget about the brand’s deep ties to the military.

The idea of a stolen Jeep is bad enough, but the idea of someone absconding with an historical 1951 Korean War-era Jeep has to be really tough to swallow.

There are always celebrities at SEMA, but how many times in your life will you have an opportunity to get to tell the furiously foul-mouthed drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket what to do? “Please stand in front of the Jeep, sir.” For the record, he’s a nice guy—with a handshake like a vice.