New V8-powered Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 on sale in the UK now
Buyers can secure a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 through Clive Sutton in exchange for £105,000 – but it’ll come in left-hand drive
The new V8-powered Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is now available to order in the UK from the luxury car dealer, Clive Sutton. Prices start from £105,000.
If you find yourself wanting one, though, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Wrangler Rubicon 392 was never destined for launch in the UK. All of Clive Sutton’s cars are American imports – meaning they’re only available in left-hand drive.
Despite this, the move means UK buyers now have another choice in the rapidly expanding performance 4x4 sector, with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 squaring up against the Mercedes-AMG G 63 and the V8-powered version of the Land Rover Defender in Britain.
As its name suggests, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is powered by a detuned version of the 6.4-litre (or 392 cubic inch) V8 engine found in the Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. It produces 470bhp and 637Nm of torque, which Jeep says is enough for a 0–60mph time of 4.5 seconds and a quarter mile time of around 13 seconds.
The engine is hitched to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a mechanical four-wheel drive system, which is supported by locking differentials, knobbly 33-inch tyres, uprated Fox monotube dampers and new suspension geometry. All that means it’s around two inches taller than the standard Wrangler’s setup.
Jeep has also redesigned the Wrangler’s chassis to deal with the extra power. The firm’s engineers strengthened the car’s frame rails, front control arms and steering knuckles, while the brakes have been upgraded. There’s also an electronic anti-roll bar disconnect system that allows the Wrangler to crawl over cross-axle bumps more easily.
All of this means that, as well as being faster than the standard Wrangler, the Rubicon 392 should also be better off-road. Jeep says the 4x4 has 10.3 inches of a ground clearance and can wade through water up to 32.5 inches deep. The extra ground clearance also gives the 392 approach, breakover and departure angles of 44.5, 22.6 and 37.5 degrees respectively.
Jeep has also given the Wrangler Rubicon 392 a little more show to match the extra go. The model gets its own radiator grille design, new 17-inch alloy wheels, unique badging and the same bonnet as the Gladiator – primarily because it’s 40mm taller than the standard bonnet and it features a functional scoop.
Inside, the Rubicon 392 comes with a pair of heated leather seats, a heated leather steering wheel, keyless go, a new instrument binnacle and an 8.4-inch infotainment system which features a range of off-road specific displays for the car’s pitch, roll, altitude and drivetrain power distribution.
Clive Sutton provides a two-year (or 30,000-mile) warranty as part of the purchase to replace Jeep’s manufacturer warranty, which is no longer valid once the car is registered in the UK. The firm also loads the car’s sat-nav system with UK maps.
What do you make of the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392? Let us know in the comments section below…