by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief
MOAB, Utah — He opened up the throttle on an empty stretch of US 191, just north of the Dixie Off Road Expo and right before you turn right onto a dirt-soak road that leads to Behind the Rocks.
”Hang on.”
It wasn’t so much a suggestion as a declaration because at the point, the dark gray Wrangler with bronze highlights shot forward with a deep, muscular growl and started chewing up road faster than it appeared.
And almost just as fast it was over, the road slowing to a more recognizable cadence.
Just a taste of power.
For the full effect, you’ll have to buy the thing and no doubt people will.
Wednesday at the Dixie Off Road Expo during Easter Jeep Safari week, we got a chance to check out and ride in Jeep’s newest (and most powerful) toy — the Wrangler 392.
Jeep had a special booth set up at the show where it displayed the vehicle, as well as a Gladiator Mojave, diesel Gladiator and the 4xe Wrangler. Guided rides were offered in the 392, as well as the Mojave, so we jumped at the chance to head out with a guide in the new Hemi-powered Wrangler.
Just in case you haven’t heard, this production Wrangler is now available to order in four-door only and arrives with a stunning 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft. of torque thanks to its 6.4 liter, 392 cubic-inch Hemi engine, making it the most powerful Wrangler ever.
The last Jeep to offer a production V-8 engine was the CJ7 back in 1981 CJ7, which featured a 304 cubic-inch set up that pushed out 125 horsepower and 216 lb-ft of torque.
Make no mistake, when you are on the road you feel every bit of those 470 horses and the vehicle effortlessly glides to cruising power like a professional athlete. One second you are at rest, and a couple of quick steps later you are flying. In this case, it is a zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds kind of deal.
Of course, all that power on the road is nice, but we all know a Wrangler is truly at home when that road ends. So our driver pulled off US 191 and headed into the Utah desert just south of Moab to show how much the 392 embodies the Wrangler spirit.
To handle all those extra horses and torque, designers modified the vehicle’s frame and introduced thicker axle tubes for the wider heavy-duty Dana 44 front and rear axles. The 392 also received Mopar’s 2-inch suspension lift and "specially-tuned" high-performance Fox aluminum monotube shocks to maximize handling and comfort.
Granted, the off-road track we sped along wasn’t the Rubicon Trail or something akin to Pritchett Canyon, but it still had washouts, rocky outcropping and ledges, as well as soft, sandy hills that can sometimes cause issues with lesser vehicles.
But whether it was powering up and around those sandy dunes, flying down rutty, uneven dirt roads like they were pavement, or simmering down enough to simply crawl up any obstacle in the way, the 392 pretty much offers everything that you could want out of a Hemi-fueled production Wrangler.
Overall, its approach angle is 44.5 degrees, departure angle 37.5 degrees, breakover angle 22.6 degrees and the overall ground clearance sits at 10.3 inches. All those are in line with the traditional Rubicon, meaning it is the most capable, as well as powerful, Wrangler currently available (and maybe ever).
And while you won’t find the vehicle with a manual transmission, its extremely capable eight-speed automatic transmission smoothly and effortlessly handles all that power — with a well-spaced set up that works great with all that low-end torque.
Additionally, per Jeep, the 392 has a different four-wheel-drive system than most other Wranglers, as it employs a Selec-Trac set up that features automatic 4WD most of the time, with driver-selectable 4WD high, neutral and low modes when needed, as well as an active transfer case and 2.72 low gear ratio.
All that power did require some modifications and like we said before, designers beefed up the frame and axle tubes, as well as adding bulkier control arms and steering knuckles. They also incorporated front brakes from the Gladiator Mojave and rears from the Wrangler 4xe — providing excellent stopping power for this high-horsepower animal.
We did not encounter any water conditions in the Utah desert, but Jeep does say the vehicle can traverse water up to 32.5 inches deep thanks to a newly designed Hydro-Glide air intake system can handle 15 gallons of water per minute over the hood. A secondary air intake path means the SUV can still hit top speed if the functional hood scoop is covered in snow or mud.
Some other changes to this vehicle we noticed include the off-road plus mode, which lets the rear axle lock at high speeds in four-wheel-high, similar to the Gladiator Mojave and makes the vehicle perfect for desert driving at speed, while you can also toggle the 392’s exhaust note should you want to keep the noise down for the neighbors.
Helping keep that smooth ride on our vehicle were a set of 17-inch Mopar beadlock-capable wheels wrapped with standard 33-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires. Those looking for something different can choose Falken mud terrain tires for a bit more off-road performance or, of course, add whatever you want down the line.
Finally, while our 392 had a nice Power Top overhead that gave us an open cabin with simply the push of a button, the 392 will have normal soft top, as well as dual top availability.
The whole ensemble won’t come cheap though, as this will hit showrooms as the most expensive Wrangler ever at just under $75,000. Still, this is also something many begged Jeep to make, and if the crowd around Moab is any indication, the brand shouldn’t have much of an issue quickly moving every single one they produce.
Maybe even as quick as the vehicle itself can rumble along a nearly-empty stretch US 191 south of Moab.
