The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Is Very Expensive and Probably Very Fun

• Launch Edition pricing has been released for the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392
• The sticker price is an eye-watering $74,995 to start (including destination)
• You get a lot of kit for that cash, most notably a 470-horsepower Hemi V8

Jeep has been branching out in recent years and months, tossing aside the idea that every modern Wrangler must be powered by a V6 engine. They've added a 48-volt mild hybrid system to the lineup, a turbocharged four-cylinder, and even a plug-in hybrid model called the 4xe with 25 miles of electric range.

But now here comes the wildest of them all. Meet the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, which packs a 470-horsepower V8 under its modified hood. You don't strictly need a 6.4-liter Hemi motor for off-road driving, of course. But we think there's a high likelihood you'll want it.

How much will it cost?

There's no easy way to say this — the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 has an MSRP of $74,995 (including destination). That's nearly $20K more than the next most expensive Wrangler, a four-door High Altitude 4xe, which starts at $55,065. But the Rubicon 392 comes with quite a bit of extra equipment. On top of the stonking V8 under the hood, it gets a 2-inch suspension lift, upgraded frame rails, heavy-duty brakes, Fox high-performance shocks and a leather interior.

The 392 also carries a distinction that no other Wrangler before it can claim: It has shift paddles!

How does the Wrangler Rubicon 392 drive?

While we haven't driven the production version of the Wrangler V8 yet, we have driven a couple versions of the Wrangler that had essentially the same 6.4-liter Hemi stuffed under the hood. The first was a concept vehicle we drove a while back called the Jeep Sandstorm. Essentially, the Sandstorm was a four-door Wrangler with 6 additional inches of wheelbase (4 additional inches up front and 2 in the back) and the back cut off to resemble a Baja race truck. The Sandstorm also wore hilariously tall 39.5-inch tires, massive fender flares and a carbon-fiber hood, while the V8 was mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Driving the Sandstorm was a singular experience. With a roll cage and no back window to shield you from the elements, rumbling through the Utah desert was an open-top exercise in laughter and smiles. It was a little like being behind the wheel of a monster truck. Piloting the Sandstorm at speed, you couldn't help but chuckle with every stab at the throttle and throw of the shifter.

More recently, we went for a drive in the slightly more down-to-earth Rubicon 392 Concept. Our quick spin left us feeling a tinge of the same joy, but without the same sense of absurdity. Sure, the Rubicon 392 Concept's 3/4-sized doors and power-retracting top were reminiscent of the Sandstorm's open-air experience, but not quite the same — and that's probably for the best. The 392 Concept felt fast, powerful, fun to drive and still a bit over the top. We expect that's how the production model will feel too. 

Edmunds says

The new 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is an exercise in what can be done with a vehicle if you've got a big bin of parts and a lot of enthusiastic engineers. Every year, Jeep sets its builders loose on a few concepts for the Easter Jeep Safari, and this V8-powered Wrangler is one result of that ongoing experiment. Sure, it's more expensive than any other Wrangler, but it also has an engine unlike that of any other Wrangler. We're looking forward to getting behind the wheel as soon as we possibly can.