With a chop-top design that provides a whole new take on “low rider,” the Jeep design team built a unique concept vehicle in the Flattop it introduced earlier this year the 2013 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.

The idea behind the Jeep Wrangler Flattop is to keep a low center of gravity yet make it more off-road capable. Although the stock suspension is retained, King 2-inch remote reservoir shocks are utilized on the JK, as are King air bump stops. The Jeep design team then fit 37-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires underneath, which required a redesign to the fender flares to help make them fit.

Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock axles are utilized on the Flattop for more off-road durability, with a 44 front and a 60 rear installed. The team then installed 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers front and rear, which are powered by an ARB dual compressor installed in the engine compartment. Full Traction aluminum control arms reduce weight and provide additional strength at the front and rear of the Flattop. The Jeep team also employs a Teraflex front sway bar as well.

The chop-top aspect to the Flattop comes with the roofline being lowered 2 inches, which meant the team trimmed the windshield and then custom-made a hardtop that features no glass whatsoever on the sides. The B-pillars on the side of the vehicle that separate the front and rear seat on the two-door JK are removed to give the cabin more of an open-air feel.

The Jeep team retained the stock 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine on the Flattop, and it also features a six-speed manual transmission. The team did install a performance exhaust on the Flattop though, and a Performance Cold Air Intake by Mopar also gives the Flattop some additional performance.

A few parts are borrowed from the Rubicon 10th Anniversary edition on the Flattop, including a modified hood (fitted with a Mopar hood hinge kit) and front and rear bumpers. A Teraflex rear tire swing-away carrier helps carry the full-sized spare tire at the rear of the Jeep.

The gold and copper tones of the exterior paint job are also carried out inside the Flattop, as colored Mopar air vent trim rings and custom leather seats by Soft Trim Concepts help accent the vehicle. Mopar slush mats are also used in the Flattop to keep the dirt off the interior.

On the trail, the Flattop rides confidently. In spite of sitting on 37s, it doesn’t feel very high off the ground as a lifted Jeep might, yet it was still capable of tackling the rock piles, ledges and drop-offs Jeep and Mopar led us through during the event. The low-COG design gives the Flattop smooth handling characteristics that makes it feel quite normal for being on 37s, while the lowered hood line makes the Jeep feel like you’re lower to the ground than it seems to give it a unique feel.

To check out more of Mopar’s offerings for the Jeep JK and other vehicles, visit http://www.mopar.com/.

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