What’s more American than a Jeep Wrangler with mods on it? Not much. Nevertheless, the 2017 Wrangler Rubicon with the MoparONE pack you see here is not meant for our shores. Only customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa will be able to buy this upgraded Euro-spec JK.
The MoparONE kit will officially debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. It’s available on 2017 Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited Rubicons, and features a Hyper Green body outfitted with tube steps, half-doors, and a soft top. A two-inch lift keeps the Rubicon’s vital hardware away from rocks and logs; a full skid plate kit protects those essential bits from damage should they happen to get too close to nature’s destructive obstacles. That boost in height is balanced by a steering stabilizer. Other exterior enhancements include a set of Hankook Dynapro all-terrain tires wrapped around 17-inch black aluminum wheels, a vented hood, and a light bar with four halogen off-road lamps. The Hyper Green doesn’t stop at the outside; the black leather interior is brightened up with body-color accents.
Given that this is a Euro-market Wrangler, that heat-extracting hood conceals a 200-horsepower 2.8-liter turbo diesel, which is connected to a five-speed automatic transmission.
This particular Wrangler isn’t offered here, but it shouldn’t be too hard to replicate its look. The question is: Would you want to?
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
