The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is one heck of an SUV, combining badass off-road talents with refined comfort. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the darn thing. The Rhino XT turns it into an even nastier ride, dressing the SUV in a rugged, tank-like shell.
Built by California-based US Specialty Vehicles, the modified SUV looks more like a military vehicle than a recreational ride – the kind that looks more at home in a dystopian desert setting, rather than a muddy backwoods trail. Simply put, the thing is more Hummer than Wrangler, with the donor car being practically indiscernible.
The Rhino XT retains the guts of the Wrangler Unlimited under the hood (256-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 and five-speed automatic transmission), so it should perform just as well as the thrill-happy, off-roading original. Outside, though, it’s completely new, with a beefy angular body kit, massive flared fenders, rugged bumpers, reinforced body panels, and a gently-arched roof. Retaining a classic element of the Wrangler, the hard-top roof is removable, so you can feel the mountain breeze and enjoy the open skies. It features aluminum wheels, 35-inch on/off-road tires, and a reinforced heavy-duty roll cage.
Inside, the four-seater cabin is decked with designer premium leather seats, chrome accent trims, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 3D digital instrument cluster, four-way power seats in the front row, and a foldable bench in the rear, so you can use the room for extra cargo. For safety, it gets ESC, front/rear sway bars, and roll mitigation.
Available now, the Rhino XT is priced at $75,445.