Jeep Breaks Its Promise and Brings Back the Hemi Wrangler

It's been exactly three months since Jeep outed the 2024 Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition, saying "goodbye to the grr-eight one." As it turns out, that was only goodbye for now because the V-8 off-roader makes a surprise return for 2025. This unexpected announcement is unlikely to sit well with those who thought they were buying a limited-production vehicle.

Indeed, the 6.4-liter Hemi is sticking around for the 2025 model year due to popular demand, according to Jeep. It continues to pump out 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. It enables the quickest and most potent Wrangler ever to hit 60 mph in four and a half seconds and do the quarter mile in 13 seconds.

Jeep isn't saying how many vehicles it will build for the 2025MY. The not-so-final Final Edition for 2024MY is capped at 3,700 units globally of which 3,300 are earmarked for the United States. Canadians are getting 300 vehicles and the rest of the world will receive the remaining 100. Pricing details have yet to be disclosed but prepare to pay six figures. The preceding special version carries a $101,890 sticker price after destination and handling fees.

Owners of the 2024 Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition can take comfort from knowing their vehicles have a bit more standard equipment. The resurrected model loses the 83-piece toolkit and triple-loop grille guard from Mopar.

Jeep will open the order books this fall and start production in the first quarter of 2025.

Some would argue that Stellantis has not learned from past mistakes because this isn't the first time in recent times a supposedly limited production model gets a new lease on life. Remember the 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat? It was originally advertised as a single-year model capped at 3,000 examples. It made a sudden return for 2023, prompting some owners to get together and sue the company. Adding insult to injury, there's also a 2024 Durango SRT Hellcat.

On the other hand, the temptation is understandable. Jeep must be making a nice profit by selling $100,000+ Wranglers. The base model is more than three times cheaper, so the Rubicon 392 Final Edition should be a veritable cash cow. Bill Peffer, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America, defends the decision:

"When news broke in March that Jeep Wrangler 392 was roaring off into the sunset, the comments, coverage, and conversation showed us that the Jeep community isn’t quite ready to say goodbye to the V-8-powered Wrangler. Jeep brand listened and will continue the 392 Final Edition into the 2025 model year."