Crossing the Rubicon is a phrase that dates back to Roman times when, in 49BC, Caesar was ordered not to march his army across the Rubicon River that marked the border between north and south. He ignored that order and, in doing so, knew that it marked a point of no return politically, which, ultimately, led to a civil war that he won and laid the path his Emperorship.
For once, it could be argued the application of the word here isn't merely marketer's hype. It's actually quite an apt name for the V8-powered Jeep Wrangler. If you want to cross an untrodden path and not have to turn back, I'd wager there are few cars that measure up to the Rubicon. I know this, because I've been on a few off-roader tests with all manner of mud-pluggers, and the Rubicon will generally outdo the lot - including its rivals from Solihull.
That's down to a number of upgrades over the standard Wrangler, including its Rock-Trac four-wheel drive system, different axle ratios, the Dana 44 axle in the front and Tru-Lok differentials front and rear. And arguably, most useful of all, proper mud-plugging tyres that provide the last link in the chain. Of course, the difference with this 392 version is that it's also equipped with a 392 cubic inch Hemi - which is also quite useful for getting you places.
The 6.4-litre (in metric money) V8 that will take you from zero to 60mph in 4.5 seconds and do the quarter-mile in 13.0 seconds. That's not what the 392 is really about, though, because, in this situation, the engine also provides masses of torque (470lb ft) and the explosive power (470hp) that the regular Rubicon's 2.0-litre 272hp petrol lacks. That'll get you up those seemingly impossible climbs. It's hooked up to an eight-speed auto transmission and, naturally, a combination of high and low ratios.
The Rubicon 392 also features a number of other upgrades over the standard car. There's an electronically disconnecting sway bar that affords it impressive wheel articulation at the front and, according to the blurb, a Ramp Travel Index of 730. Plus, it has two-inch diameter, aluminium-cased Fox dampers that can stand up to the rigors of the outback while also adding compliance on road. It does look crazily cool, too, don't you think?
Especially in this shade of grey metallic with the aggressive, 17-inch beadlock-capable two-tone split-rim alloys. It's almost military spec when you look at it side on, with the typically boxy Wrangler profile, slightly undersized windows and those heavy-duty external hinges making you think it could be bullet- and bomb-proof. It isn't, of course, so don't take it into battle. It isn't available through any official Jeep UK dealers, so if you fancy owning the fastest Wrangler ever then you'll need to head to Clive Sutton, which has imported this one with just 101 miles on the clock. Price? £110,000. So about what a V8 Defender might cost...
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