When Stellantis teased the Bob Concept ahead of the 2022 Moab Easter Jeep Safari, it was hard to make out exactly what we were looking at. Was it a two-door Gladiator? A long wheelbase Wrangler? Turns out, that was intentional. According to Jeep, the Bob concept was “designed to blur the lines” between the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, while the name comes from “bobbing” the front and rear overhangs. As a result, this Gladiator-Rubicon-based off-road concept snips a foot of overall length for improved approach, departure and breakover angles. A 3-inch lift and 40-inch tires also seem to help in that regard. As does what appears to be a chopped cabin.
Image via Jeep.
All four doors and B-pillars of the Jeep Gladiator Bob Concept have been removed, while the design team created a canvas top that stretches from the top of the cab to near the end of the truck bed. And along with the lift and bigger tires, Bob features a set of Dynatrac Pro-Rock 60 axles supported by a mix of King Coils and Bypass shocks.
Under the hood, the Jeep Gladiator Bob Concept is powered by a 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine, which features 260 horsepower and a dominant 480 lb-ft of torque in the standard truck. Sending power to the wheels is a TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission, calibrated for low RPM shifts. The engine is also equipped with a Mopar cold-air intake to further boost torque and improve fuel economy.
While it’s extremely unlikely that the Jeep Bob Concept will see production, we can’t help but be smitten with the idea of a shorter wheelbase Gladiator with minimal overhangs and hulking tires. Maybe if we make enough noise, Stellantis will listen.
Images via Jeep.
