Jeep Trailhawk concept

Chrysler will unveil its Jeep Trailhawk concept at the Detroit auto show in January. The vehicle combines the core off-road features of the new body-on-frame four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with luxury features of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Built off the new Wrangler platform, the Trailhawk is a more refined highway cruiser with comparable off-road capabilities.

"The key to the look of the Trailhawk," said Nick Vardis, principal exterior designer, "is the vehicle's distinctive proportions, due in part to its 116-inch wheelbase. The dash-to-front-axle dimension is dramatically long, giving the vehicle a sense of forward motion, while the front and rear overhangs are tight and abbreviated."

The side windows retract fully into the body, leaving no B-pillar above the belt, while the diagonal quarter windows are also fully retractable. Gray-tinted twin longitudinal glass panels over the first- and second-row seats and the glass panel over the cargo compartment are removable, as is the swing-up backlight. With all the glass lowered and removed, the Trailhawk offers occupants virtually the same open-air ambience as a typical soft top Jeep. Gallery after the jump...