Sam Krahn 
JL Jeep Wrangler models have always had an acceptable amount of power. They weren’t fast, but their output with any of the three available engines was enough for both daily driving and off-roading. That all changes with the V8-powered 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, which pushes out an astonishing 470 hp and 470 lbs-ft of torque. It allows the Jeep to rocket from 0-60 in just 4.5 seconds, completing the quarter mile in 13 seconds flat. While other Jeep Wrangler’s straight line speed can be described as adequate, nobody really needs a Wrangler as fast as the 392. But wanting one is a different story, and it turns out its rapid pace is even faster than Jeep claims.
A recent video by ShockerRacing shows the Jeep Wrangler 392 easily lives up to Jeep’s quarter mile time, and can even go faster. This is one of the first customer Wrangler 392s, and one of the first times we’ve ever seen a Jeep Wrangler look truly at home on the drag strip.
The fastest time was run with the rear tire removed, dropping a chunk of weight. The V8 Wrangler managed a 12.85 at 98.54 mph. Because of the sheer physics of 470 hp, a high center of gravity and 33 inch tires, Jeep had to limit the top speed to just under 100 mph. That limiter kicked in well before the end of the runway, so we have no doubts the 392 could manage a mid-12 second run if it was removed.
For a vehicle on tall, knobby off-road tires with the aerodynamic efficiency of a brick wall, that’s a seriously fast quarter mile run. That’s as fast as some sports cars manage today, and some supercars from not all that long ago. It’s even more impressive when you consider how much work went into making the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 an off-road machine, not a drag racing machine. The drag strip is far from its natural habitat, but it looks like Jeep has created a bit of a sleeper.
