SEMA is back this year and shows no signs of cancellation. And that means a whole new crop of custom builds from not just aftermarket companies, but OEMs like Jeep and Ram. The two brands have released teasers of their custom trucks for the show, and there are some seriously intriguing ones. And the most startling is the silver Ram 1500 TRX which could be a plug-in hybrid.
What makes us say that? Well, look at the badges. The “RAM” badge in the grille is bright blue. And the front tow hooks are also blue. Those signals are characteristic of the Jeep 4xe plug-in hybrid models. And Jeep isn’t alone in using blue badges for electrified models. Ram 1500s with the 48-volt eTorque hybrid assist get blue marked badges. So it seems like a slam-dunk that the wide desert stomper in the teaser has a hybrid drivetrain. We bet it’s the Wrangler’s 375 horsepower turbo four, but maybe Ram has put something unique together.
The next curious model is what is clearly a variant of the military M715 truck. It is undoubtedly this year’s restomod, as the Stellantis brands are used to build. If you look closer, it has a very high roof and center-mounted floodlights. Those are signals shared with the M725 ambulance. We wouldn’t be surprised if Jeep took one of the old ambulances and turned it into a beast of an overlanding platform. We’re excited to see what kind of other upgrades have been made, such as what engine it will power.
Then we come to the interior of a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be much going on, at least until you look at the roof. The cargo area has a significantly raised area. And there are safari windows that let in light. It will be interesting to see what it looks like from the outside.
Finally, we have teasers of what is likely a Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and a Ram 1500. The Wrangler shot is from the front fender and the Ram is from the rear. They don’t show much except what appear to be Mopar accessories. As such, we suspect these are show pieces for the Mopar catalog, and they may each have a few concept parts, but are otherwise a bit tame compared to the one-off Jeep and Ram.
All of these trucks will be unveiled and showcased at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The show will run from November 2-5.
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