Jeep’s bakkie business is booming, as the American off-road brand reveals a single-cab Wrangler.

Each year Jeep allows its engineers and technicians to build a range of outlandish concept 4x4s for the company’s annual Easter Safari event in Moab, Utah. With the brand’s Gladiator double-cab bakkie launching in select markets soon, bakkie enthusiasts are feverish about the potential off-road abilities that could be had with a loadbin configuration Jeep.

The star attraction of this year’s Easter Safari event is Jeep’s J6. Those with an in-depth awareness of the brand will recognise the J6 name as a homage to Jeep’s original line of bakkies, and this concept singe-cab is based on the current production Wrangler Unlimited platform.

Essentially a single-cab Gladiator, the J6 gains a 50 mm body lift courtesy of trick suspension and rolls enormous 37-inch tyres, seated on 17-inch beadlock rims. To accommodate those huge tyres the J6 features extensively flared and oversized wheel arches.

Aiding off-road ability is the placement of its spare wheel in the loadbin, instead of underneath, and there’s a steel roll bar in case things do go awry. The compact bulbar houses a winch and four extra LED lights, whilst added illumination is also found on the bonnet (two lights) and roof (four supplementary LEDs).

Powering the J6 is Jeep’s 3.6-litre naturally-aspirated V6, powering up to 209 kW and 347 Nm. As is the case with all comprehensively equipped Wrangler platform Jeep 4x4s, the J6 has lockable differentials and an extremely powerful low-range transfer case, for the express purpose of conquering extreme off-road terrain.

Although Jeep says the J6 is a concept, it looks awfully close to a potential production vehicle. In a global bakkie market where Toyota’s antiquated Land Cruiser and Nissan's Patrol are the only true extreme terrain single-cab bakkies left, there could be an opportunity for Jeep with its more modern and capable J6.

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