by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
It happened first in 2019, when Jeep built out a two-door Gladiator-style truck concept dubbed ‘J6” for the 2019 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.
The it happened again in 2022, when Quadratec brought a two-door ‘JTe’ Gladiator concept to the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association show, and Jeep posted a picture of the vehicle on its social media—asking fans if it should make a two-door production truck.
And now, as the 59th annual EJS show prepares to open its curtain on this year’s event in Moab, Utah, Jeep again is wading into the two-door truck world.
Jeep on Friday rolled out seven new EJS concept vehicles, including a white-and-blue hued two-door truck dubbed ‘J6 Honcho’.
The other six concepts coming to the southeastern Utah desert are a mix of Wrangler and Gladiator models titled Convoy, Bug Out, Rewind, Blueprint, Sunchaser and High Top.
“Easter Jeep Safari was created by Jeep owners for Jeep owners, and this incredible event has helped steer the Jeep brand’s development of off-road 4x4 vehicles over the years, while most importantly connecting us with the community and the thousands of Jeep enthusiasts who gather each year,” said Jeep Brand CEO Bob Broderdorf. “Moab is our home away from home and a playground that can only be properly explored in a Jeep. The custom Jeep and JPP concepts we’ll unveil this year, along with unique immersive experiences, will once again demonstrate Jeep brand’s unmatched off-road capability and underscore what it means to drive a Jeep.”
At this point, no one is under the illusion Jeep will actually prop up a two-door truck into production, but brand fans around the country still clamor for one when asked.
And the idea that Jeep has wheeled out not one, but two, two-door truck concepts over the past few years still should give those fans a bit of excitement that Jeep does have a two-door truck in its mind.
But as far as concepts go, EJS gives designers a great canvas to show off creativity, and allows the brand itself to display all its product offerings.
“The challenging off-road trails and terrain in Moab offer us the perfect place to showcase the latest selection of authentic, quality-tested Jeep Performance Parts from Mopar,” said Stellantis Senior Vice President of Parts and Services Darren Bradshaw. “Unlike any other aftermarket offering, our factory-backed Jeep Performance Parts are specifically designed and engineered to deliver exact fit, form and function, allowing our Jeep owners to further enhance their stock vehicles with confidence.”
So here are this year’s EJS concept vehicles:
Jeep J6 Honcho
While we are definitely partial to our two-door JTe build, the J6 Honcho rates extremely high with us as well.
This 1970s-inspired concept build has sightlines very similar to that 2019 J6 model and started as a four-door Gladiator Rubicon customized into a two-door truck. However, while the wheelbase is the same at 118.4 inches, the bed is actually 12 inches longer than the current Gladiator to maximize storage space.
It features a custom throwback white and blue paint scheme, along with a Mopar two-inch lift, Warn winch, 37-inch BFG KM3 mud-terrain tires, custom flat fender flares, triple hoop front bumper and rock rails.
Additionally, Jeep’s designers worked up a custom spare tire carrier and roll bar with six TYRI auxiliary lights— four forward-facing ones and two rear-facing ones.
And while we know Jeep most likely does not have any inkling of making a two-door Gladiator into a production reality, we do still like to beg for one from time to time.
Jeep Gladiator High Top Honcho
The one may seem familiar to those who pay attention to the Jeep EJS concepts each year. And that’s because the Gladiator High Top Honcho is a refreshed vision of last year’s Gladiator High Top.
However, for 2025, Jeep designers threw on massive 40-inch BFG KO3 tires, front and rear Dana 60 axles with 5.38:1 gearing, one-off steel fender flares to provide additional clearance. Then they painted the vehicle in a unique 1970s style brown, yellow and orange graphics package with a matching brown hardtop.
Additionally, the High Top Honcho includes an AccuAir adjustable air suspension that gives it up to a four-inch lift, Warn Winch, modified American Expedition Vehicles front bumper with hoop, Rock Slide Engineering power steps because, let’s face it, getting into the concept would be challenging without those steps, truck bed storage system and a roll bar that looks similar to what we have on our JTe concept.
Jeep Convoy
This concept is the crop’s nod to Jeep’s military to civilian heritage, and while it is based off a 2025 Gladiator Mojave, it really offers more cues that harken back to the 1963 Gladiator SJ model—the first post-war truck designed for civilian use.
This guy offers an entirely new seven-slot slanted face, hood and front fenders, all inspired by that older SJ-series which eventually would be evolve into the J-series truck Jeep produced into the late 1980s.
Beyond the look, designers implanted amber LED headlights into the nose, added a snorkel, Warn winch, 40-inch BFGoodrich Krawler tires on 17-inch wheels, as well as high clearance fender flares, brown canvas half doors, top and bed canopy, and low back brown leather interior seating.
Jeep finished off the design with what it calls a special edition ‘Ghost Ops’ exterior paint color.
Jeep Bug Out 4xe
With overlanding still a high-viable segment in the Jeep community, the brand often likes to come out with a concept or two that embraces that fervent crowd. And the Bug Out Wrangler 4xe fits that niche this year.
This concept was a four-door vehicle at one point, but the rear doors were filled in along the way, so what is left is a two-door long box design. Oh, and those two doors are also trimmed half-doors for those who love that idea and its lighter-weight capability.
In keeping with that idea, designers aimed to really take off the poundage as overlanders tend to fill up their rig with all kinds of stuff anyway, so why not make the actual vehicle lighter right from the start.
The stripped-down Bug Out only has glass in the windshield, a 12-inch extended body along with a drop down tailgate, high departure-angle rear bumper, front steel bumper, custom hood, LED headlights and a remolded roof raised four inches for additional interior space. Also, Jeep included interior attachment points for a hammock so the vehicle’s interior can actually turn into a sleeping space when needed.
Finishing off the design is a matte silver paint color with yellow accents, 37-inch BFG KM3 tires on 18-inch lightweight Forgeline wheels, high clearance flares, battery packs behind the front doors and an included electric off-road E-scooter.
Jeep Rewind
If you love standing out in the crowd, as well as someone who is inspired by trends from the 1980s and 90s, then Jeep’s Rewind concept will be at the top of your list of this year’s EJS crop.
This (doorless) two-door and roofless Wrangler offers a wild purple paint job and graphics right out of your favorite ‘80s and ‘90s posters. And while not as involved a design as other concepts, the vehicle does feature the latest 2.0L four-cylinder turbocharged engine that is common in many Wrangler JL vehicles these days, custom mesh bimini top, gloss black roll bar, 37-inch BFG KM3 M/T tires on 17-inch painted AEV wheels.
Additionally, designers removed the rear seat, smoothed out the rear floor and added a custom rear storage compartment to store things like a boombox or the included vintage cellular car phone.
Jeep 4xe Blueprint
Every year, Jeep designers include at least one concept vehicle fitted with as many Jeep Performance Products as possible. This time around, the 4xe Blueprint takes that mantle and is basically a ‘parts display on wheels’ stock Wrangler 4xe.
To make every part easy to identify, Jeep includes QR codes on each item, similar to what it did on the 2022 D-Coder Gladiator concept. Oh, and the brand also painted all the parts in a Mopar Blue finish, so they are hard to miss.
Included are a two-inch Mopar lift kit, high-top fenders, Rubicon front and rear steel bumpers, a Warn winch with winch guard, and seven-inch TYRI auxiliary lighting.
Additionally, the vehicle features rock rails, tube doors, snorkel, lower A-pillar five-inch TYRI cowl lights, 37-inch BFG K03 A/T tires and three kinds of wheels—driver side 17-inch beadlocks, passenger side 17-inch non-beadlock and a 17-inch beadlock capable spare.
Rounding out some interior JPP products are a multi-accessory rail kit, door sill guards, tailgate table, grab handles and all-weather floor liners.
Jeep 4xe Rubicon Sunchaser
While many of the one-off EJS Jeep concepts offer wild designs and appearances that the average Jeep enthusiast would never try to replicate, the 4xe Rubicon Sunchaser features a theme more in line with the everyday Jeeper.
This vehicle includes Mopar’s two-inch lift kit, 37-inch BFG KM3 mud terrain tires, high clearance vented fender flares, Warn winch with a custom guard/push bar, rock rails and a roof rack.
It is also engineered with concept side storage boxes with MOLLE panels that replace the side windows, and a Mopar Illuminat3 pivoting lightbar that can focus light to the front and side of the vehicle.
Inside are leather seats, as well as leather on the top of the center console lid and side door armrests.
Finally, the Sunchaser finishes with a custom solar flash paint scheme with satin black two-tone accents.
Each year, EJS attracts thousands to the Utah desert for a week’s worth of off-roading and congregating on some of the best 4x4 trails in the world. This year’s 59th annual event is set for April 12-20.
For those attending EJS, Jeep will have these concepts at their display area in the Walker Drug parking lot between April 14 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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