by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief
Frank Sinatra called it his kind of town, Robert Johnson sang that it was his sweet home and Jeep, well, Jeep is going to use the city of Chicago for a backdrop as the brand looks to once again elevate its Wrangler brand against new competition from Ford.
Jeep on Friday announced it is going to debut an all new Wrangler option package, dubbed Xtreme Recon, on July 14 at the 2021 Chicago Auto Show. The package is designed to increase ground clearance, while providing better off-roading capability.
“For the first time ever, the new Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon Package delivers 35-inch tires straight from the factory,” said Jim Morrison, North American Vice President for Jeep.. “We have been listening to and watching our customers make this one of the most popular modifications to their Wranglers, and now we will deliver this exciting new package, along with an industry-first 100:1 crawl ratio, off the showroom floor at our Jeep dealerships.”
As we previously noted, the Xtreme Recon package will give buyers the largest tires ever offered directly from the factory, as well as a 1.5” suspension lift. The combination, Jeep said in its release, will give this Wrangler a best-in-class approach angle, departure angle, ground clearance and water fording capability.
The package seems to be a direct answer to Ford Bronco’s Sasquatch edition, and a way for Jeep to refute Ford’s best-in-class off-road claims about the vehicle. With that Sasquatch package buyers receive, among other things, 35-inch tires, beadlock-capable wheels, along with front and rear locking differentials. It is a solid upgrade from Ford allowing a 37.2-degree departure angle, 29-degree breakover angle and 43.2-degree approach angle on two-door editions. The four-door’s approach angle number is nearly identical, while featuring a 26.3-degree breakover and 37.0-degree departure angles.
Jeep’s Xtreme Recon package adds LT315/70R17C (35-inch) BF Goodrich KO2 All-Terrain Tires, 17-inch x 8-inch Beadlock Capable Wheels, 4.56:1 Axle Ratio, and a 1.5-inch Factory Suspension Lift with uniquely tuned shocks.
Additionally, it will feature an industry-first 100:1 crawl ratio when buyers select the optional 4.88 gearing along with the six-speed manual transmission. As far as angles and clearance go, Jeep says the vehicle will have a 47.4 degree approach angle, 26.7 degree breakover angle, 40.4 degree departure angle, 12.9 inch ground clearance and 33.6 inch water fording depth.
Jeep said the Xtreme Rubicon package in now available to order on both the Wrangler Rubicon 4-door and 392 models, and production will begin in August.
The Chicago Auto runs from July 15-18. Jeep does have a press conference listed at the show on Wednesday, July 14 from 9:30-10 a.m., according to a Chicago Auto Show media release.
