Manoli Katakis 
The Jeep Gladiator has entered the midsize truck space with a mixed take rate. Despite worthy work truck capabilities, the Gladiator hasn’t seen the kind of take rate on the low end compared its mass appeal rivals from Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota. This has led to cash on the hood of entry-level trim levels already. That said, when you look at the 2020 Gladiator Rubicon, it’s a different story. The off-road lifestyle-oriented pickup truck is loaded to the brim with 4×4 kit, commands an MSRP of over $43,000 before options, and continues to be allergic to the discounts that the rest of the Gladiator stable currently observes. In fact, they’re subject to price gouging.
In short – one could make the argument that the Jeep Gladiator may have aimed a little below the target. More evidence of this is how quickly the aftermarket moved to extract the Pentastar V6 it comes with, and shoehorn in something with more strength and snarl: a Hemi V8.
Take this Hemi-swapped Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, for example. It’s for sale by La Porte Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and as it turns out, the dealership has its own in-house tuning division, dubbed Magnuson Performance. The name apparently comes from dealership’s founder, and not to be confused with the aftermarket company of the same name that makes superchargers. Anyway, the dealership routinely swaps the factory engines of the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator with the 5.7L Eagle Hemi, 6.4L Apache 392 Hemi, the Hellcat supercharged V8, and even the 840 horsepower Demon V8. And they’re not exactly what you’d consider to be cheap.
While not possessing a Demon engine, this Jeep Gladiator listed features a 6.4L Apache 392 Hemi V8. A service that starts at $34,995. Throw in some aftermarket wheels and tires, some eight-lug DANA 60 Axles, and likely some unspecified kit, and you’ve got a Jeep Gladiator that will make all of the other off-road pickup trucks blush. Yes, even you, Ford F-150 Raptor. Then again, for what this thing costs, one could own two Raptors.
This truck is listed for a whopping $129,995, which is more than double the MSRP of the Jeep Gladiator before it went under the knife. According to the window sticker, this one in particular came in at a well-optioned $54,840, before modifications. Is another $75,000 worth it to earn the respect of the local Scat Pack crew? That’s a decision you have to make yourself.
