A total of 20 units of this 20th anniversary special edition JK will be produced. AEV feels that this is an opportunity to show their past and future to more people. “We started the Ram project when JK decided to leave,” said Feldermann. What has been learned in the past and where it is going in the future.”
Well, back to this platform model, there are many ways to modify the Wrangler. There are countless modified parts on the market, and even the modified style has two directions: low-key and high-key. So why did AEV refit this Wrangler? “For this special edition model, we agreed that both road and off-road should be considered,” Feldermann said: “We hope that this car can meet the needs of customers’ daily use, making daily commuting more comfortable, better handling, high-speed In addition, these customers need an off-road vehicle with excellent performance for traversing, exploring and even climbing rocks on weekends, so we make this vehicle more balanced.” In fact, many refitting brands refit SUVs They all hope to find the best balance between road and off-road, but there are very few that can really do it, and AEV’s focus on JK modification in the past ten years has indeed taught them a lot. Know which parts will work better on JK and which parts will just bring destruction.
“Our balance between on-road and off-road isn’t about one component, it’s a series of components, like our suspension, that really works in combination with our rims and tires,” Feldermann said.
Similar to the Ram 2500 XL Prospector we tested recently, this 20th anniversary JK 350 model also uses many special customization products that are not available in the ordinary modified JK 350 models. This 20th anniversary model is based on the ordinary JK 350 model (JK 200 and JK 250 are also low-end). The JK 350 model uses 35-inch tires and the suspension is raised by 3.5 inches. On the 2019 version, AEV replaced the 4.5-inch DualSport RS suspension package, and the extra space also made the 37-inch BFGoodrich KM2 tires and Borah wheels the best match. AEV did not choose the more aggressive 6-inch or more ground lift, but the front bumper produced by AEV brings a larger approach angle, so the passability has been further improved. In addition, the rear bumper is also produced by AEV. The tire mounts are reinforced and carry a full-size spare wheel. The spare fuel tank can ensure sufficient cruising range during long outdoors.
AEV also replaced the 20th anniversary version of JK with a Heat Reduction hood. The addition of a wading hose gave this Wrangler a stronger wading ability. In addition, on this Wrangler model, AEV has also added some protective equipment, such as the chassis guard, the anti-collision beam above the left and right rear wheel eyebrows, and the reinforced differential housing. On this car, we can also see Warn winches, IPF 901 LED searchlights, seats exclusive to special edition models in the car, and of course the 20th anniversary badges that can be seen everywhere.
In terms of power, the 20th anniversary special edition model only provides two engine configurations: 5.7-liter HEMI engine or 6.4-liter HEMI engine. We’ve seen countless modified Wranglers over the years, but very few with the 6.4-liter HEMI engine. But this time we not only saw it, but the Wrangler driving this 6.4-liter engine experienced high-speed driving and off-road experience.
To be honest, which Wrangler owner doesn’t like HEMI? Just out of cost considerations, manufacturers are not willing to put HEMI engines into mass production. In the later modification, it is also in consideration of the modification cost. Few players will really choose the 6.4-liter HEMI engine, and the difficulty and reliability of the modification are also issues to be considered. Now AEV has solved these problems. Of course, the price is not cheap, but customers can rest assured that they provide a 3-year/57,600-kilometer warranty period, including the engine, which is very tempting.
This time we really experienced this Wrangler with a 6.4-liter engine. The added weight has also increased the need for power, and when we were cruising at high speeds, the engine performed very smoothly, and the large wheels and raised body did not sacrifice steering feel. The most obvious noise when cruising at high speed comes from this large-displacement HEMI engine and large-sized tires.
The acceleration performance brought by this engine is also satisfactory. Although the original 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine also has good power performance, once it has been modified or driving at high speed, the original 3.6-liter engine will not It will make the driver feel underpowered. And this large-displacement HEMI engine dispels our doubts at the bottom of the car. Although the tires are large and the weight of the car increases, it can still provide a steady stream of power even when cruising at high speed and accelerating. The maximum power of 475 horsepower and the peak torque of 637N m drive this Wrangler with ease. In addition, we did not have too much body roll in corners and emergency line changes, and this is mainly due to the AEV tuned for it. Bilstein 5160 suspension.
Off-road, the car performed equally well. AEV said that this car uses the original differential lock and replaced it with a thicker Dana 44 axle. In addition, they mainly upgraded the suspension system of this car. Although we have given full play to the off-road capabilities of this Wrangler in this test drive, it is conceivable that this car will have a more calm attitude when facing complex road conditions. After all, the HEMI engine has provided sufficient power. The water capacity has also been improved due to the external wading hose.
The front and rear bumpers are products that take into account both passability and appearance. In the actual off-road process, you can indeed feel the benefits brought by it. Large-sized tires with less suspension lift have a better center of gravity position than small-size tires with more suspension lift. Simply put, there will be a more stable body posture when off-road. This is for the driver Also only crucial.
When we asked when it would be available, Feldermann said it would be in January. The price of the normal version of the JK 350 modification kit launched by AEV company starts at 16,000 US dollars, while the price of the kit for this 20th anniversary special edition model needs to be close to 25,000 US dollars. Of course, what customers get is more unique modification parts for the special edition. . To be precise, the 5.7-liter HEMI package costs $23,000, and the 6.5-liter HEMI package costs close to $30,000. Adding the price of the Wrangler itself, the price of the whole car will reach $90,000 to $100,000. For ordinary Wrangler players, this cost is really a lot, but considering AEV’s mature modification technology and long warranty period, this 20th anniversary special edition Wrangler JK 350 is a Wrangler worth owning.
