Photos of old Land Rovers from back when owners actually took them off-roading were included in the inspirational artwork accompanying the Gladiator-based Jeep Wayout concept, one of the six special models Jeep created for the 2019 iteration of the big Moab Easter Jeep Safari off-road extravaganza. This is no accident—the Wayout concept would do proud the rugged men and women of yore who took their Landies on dangerous, remote adventures.
Riding on 37-inch tires mounted on humble-looking 17-inch steel wheels and painted the same Gator Green that will be available on production Jeep Gladiators later this year, the Wayout’s standout feature is its pop-up roof tent placed above a 270-degree awning with amber LED lights that combine to turns the truck into a mobile basecamp. A custom bed rack with an integrated ladder carries the tent. Allen calls the Wayout an “overland truck,” which means it’s for “finding a secret spot—this truck can get you out further.”
The tent that pops up is a comfortably furnished yet simple canvas abode from Italian outfitter Maggiolina, which Jeep thoughtfully equipped for the debut with cushy bedding and pillows, plus maps and two copper mugs for Moscow Mules. There’s also a Jeep Performance Parts snorkel for 30-inch water fording, a custom integrated roof rack, and a Mopar/Decked bed-drawer system for additional lockable dry storage. The interior features bedliner-sprayed floors and brown leather-trimmed seats with topographical map patterns on their backs and inserts.
Back outside, the Wayout also has a 12,000-pound Warn winch mounted on a big, fat steel front bumper, two external jerry-can-style auxiliary fuel tanks integrated into the bed, and a body-mounted quick-disconnect air supply with a line to a compressor tucked in back. Attach a hose to the valve, located on the driver’s side between the hood and the A-pillar, and you can change the pressure on your tires for both rock climbing and on-road driving.
The Wayout comes with a two-inch lift kit with Fox shocks, lower body armor, structural steps behind the rear doors and on the rear fenders and a structural step between the rear fenders and rear bumper. Like the other Gladiator-based 2019 Safari concepts, the Wayout is equipped with the Gladiator’s standard 3.6-liter V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission.
Allen, who takes 20 people from the Jeep team along with him on the Easter Jeep Safari every year to expand their understanding of the Wrangler and the brand, compares it with the Woodward Dream Cruise in that it’s officially a single day—in this case the Saturday before Easter—but unofficially runs a week. “They’re all trucks! We’re taking trucks!” he said of this year’s factory concepts. Allen acknowledges that the Gladiator is a model Jeep fans have demanded, and anticipated, for years, and it’s also a model that gives his design team “a new palette to play with.”
“Credit Sergio,” Allen said, referring to the late Fiat Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne. “He greenlighted this thing.”
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