by Matthew Konkle
Executive Editor
LAS VEGAS — If there is one booth at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) event that everyone should make a point of visiting each year, it’s the Jeep and Mopar display.
There’s always something interesting to see, whether it’s a new concept vehicle, a special-edition model, or the latest collection of Jeep Performance Parts.
And this year was no exception. In fact, the brand moved from its traditional spot in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s lower South Hall to a prominent slot in West Hall—joining scores of other vendors in the event’s Truck and Off-Road section.
On Day Two of the SEMA Three, we’re spending time at this location, checking out a couple of products that caught our attention, and finishing with a build that might just be the most unexpected vehicle we saw all day.
Here’s what made our list.
One: The Jeep Booth — Concepts, Special Editions, and the Scrambler. Again.
A visit to the Jeep booth is practically mandatory during SEMA, and this year’s offerings provided plenty of reasons to linger.
There was a lot to take in, from limited-edition vehicles to concept builds and an impressive assortment of Jeep Performance Products.
Whether you’re a Wrangler lover looking for ideas or simply someone who appreciates what the Jeep platform can do, there was certainly something worth noticing.
One of the vehicles that caught our attention was the Jeep Commando Limited Edition.
Special-edition Jeeps always seem to generate interest because they offer a different take on a familiar platform, and this Commando, the 250th and final vehicle in its production run, was a welcome addition to the display.
It was also a reminder that Jeep’s history and design language continue to provide plenty of inspiration for new builds. In fact, once this Wrangler is done at SEMA, it will be auctioned off. Normally, only military veterans can purchase this ride, so this could be the only Commando outside that bubble.
Keep Torque bookmarked as we will have more on this interesting and important vehicle.
Other concepts were another highlight in the booth.
The Recon Overwatch Concept, along with Anvil and BUZZCUT, showed just how differently Jeep can approach the same basic idea of off-road capability.
Each has its own personality and purpose, and seeing them together makes it easy to appreciate the range of directions Jeep designers and engineers are exploring.
Add in the assortment of Jeep Performance Products throughout the display, and there was no shortage of ideas for anyone planning their next upgrade.
And then, of course, there was the Wrangler Scrambler SRT Concept.
Yes, we’re talking about it again.
We’ve already given it a ton of attention, but the crowds gathered around it Wednesday were a pretty good indication that we weren’t the only ones who wanted another look.
The combination of two-door pickup proportions, 392 HEMI power, and independent front suspension is hard to ignore.
Two: Quake LED Sequential Tail Lights
Our first product pick comes from Quake LED, with its Metal Tek Series flush-mount taillights for the Jeep Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT.
At first glance, the low-profile design is what stands out.
These lights sit closer to the body than the factory housings, giving the rear of the Jeep a cleaner, more streamlined appearance while adding a distinctive aftermarket look.
But there’s more going on here than just appearance.
The lights feature sequential turn signals, bright reverse lighting, and Quake’s B.A.S.S. technology — short for Brake Alert Safety Signal.
When the brakes are applied, the system projects an additional bright red signal onto the road behind the vehicle to help get the attention of drivers approaching from the rear.
We also like that Quake has kept installation and everyday use in mind.
The system is designed as a plug-and-play upgrade, with no drilling or body modifications required, and it retains compatibility with the factory blind-spot monitoring sensors.
For Jeep owners looking to change the rear-end appearance while adding some interesting lighting technology, these are worth a closer look.
Three: The Jeep School Bus
Every SEMA show has a few vehicles dotting the landscape that make you stop, take a second look, and ask yourself how someone came up with the idea in the first place.
Our pick for Day Two falls squarely into that category: the Jeep School Bus, on display at the TYRI booth.
It’s the sort of build that doesn’t need to follow the usual SEMA playbook. Plenty of lifted trucks, highly modified Jeeps, and over-the-top off-road rigs fill the convention center.
But a Jeep with a school-bus theme? That’s a different kind of attention-getter, and it’s hard not to appreciate the creativity behind it.
And the TYRI booth was a fitting place to find a build like this, too. Not just because this CJ7 platform on an Aqualu body tub incorporates plenty of TYRI lights, but because lighting is a major part of the off-road world, and a vehicle with this much personality makes for a memorable display.
This thing has so much going on, including an upgraded 5.3-liter GM LS engine, Atlas transfer case, Dana 60 axles with 5.38 gearing, ELockers, and Quadratec Heritage seats reupholstered with actual school bus seat vinyl, that it really deserves its own individual walkaround.
We’ll have that soon for you.
This build reminds us that the best SEMA projects aren’t always the ones with the biggest tires or the most horsepower. Sometimes the idea itself is what makes a vehicle stand out.
And that’s what we liked about the Jeep School Bus. It brings a little humor and imagination to a show that can sometimes take itself very seriously. It’s different, it’s memorable, and it gave us another reason to stop at the TYRI booth.
