I’ve had a soft spot in my little gear-head heart for Jeep pickups ever since the early 1990s when the Comanche was winding down its seven year production run. Consequently, despite being a diehard Toyota girl, I’ve been eyeing the Jeep Gladiator since it rolled off the production line way back in 2019 (just don’t tell my Tacoma, okay?). Good looking, totally capable with a hefty towing and payload capacity, plus a wide array of Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) available, the Gladiator just begs to be out running the trails.
With a nod towards the mountain bike crowd, Mopar designers transformed a 2020 Jeep Gladiator into a fun concept vehicle. “Loaded with nearly 20 Jeep Performance Parts, we built this go-anywhere Jeep Gladiator Top Dog Concept for passionate mountain bike enthusiasts,” said Mark Bosanac, Head of Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, FCA – North America.
Photo: FCA
The Top Dog Concept expands the cargo-carrying abilities of the Gladiator by removing the standard cargo box and replacing it with a custom PCOR flatbed storage system full of pull-out drawers, a Dometic refrigerator, and roomy interior storage shelves. Mopar may have gone out on a limb when they added the electric hot-dog roller grill, but who doesn’t love a good brat after a day on the trail?
The Top Dog Concept features a JPP two-inch lift kit and FOX shocks that, along with the 17-inch wheels and 37-inch BF Goodrich KM3 mud-terrain tires, provide the sort of ground clearance the Gladiator truly deserves. High top fender flares and JPP rock rails complete the look and add trail-worthy protection.
The front of this puppy features a JPP Rubicon bumper with a concept two-inch steel grille guard and the exclusive JPP Rubicon Warn winch. Plus, there’s a second Rubicon Warn winch at the tail end of the Top Dog. Up above, two rack structures provide additional storage space and a dual bike rack.
All in all, the Top Dog is a great Gladiator build: capable, classy, and — for the most part — practical. So, load up the bikes, hit the trail, and don’t forget the mustard.
Photo Credit: FCA US Media
Motorcycle Industry News by Eva Rupert. Follow Eva @augusteva.
