2005 Jeep Hurricane Concept

The 2005 Jeep Hurricane Concept was one of the most extreme off-road vehicles ever built. It featured two 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engines—one in the front, one in the rear—delivering a combined 670 horsepower and 740 lb-ft of torque. Power was sent through a central transfer case to all four wheels, and the vehicle could still drive if one engine failed. Jeep’s Multi-Displacement System (MDS) allowed it to run on 4, 8, 12, or all 16 cylinders, depending on terrain and driver input.

The Hurricane had three steering modes: standard front-wheel steering, four-wheel steering with the rear wheels turning opposite the front for tight turns, and a crab-walk mode with all four wheels turning in the same direction. It could also spin in place like a tank, thanks to its fully steerable wheels. Ground clearance was massive at 14.3 inches, and it rode on 37-inch off-road tires mounted on 20-inch wheels. It had 508 mm of wheel travel and could handle slopes and obstacles that would stop most other vehicles cold—approach and departure angles were 64 and 86.7 degrees, respectively.

The one-piece carbon fiber body also served as the chassis. A central aluminum spine reinforced the structure and protected the undercarriage. Despite its compact size—only 3856 mm long—the Hurricane had an aggressive, futuristic design and unmatched off-road capability. Though never intended for production, it served as a high-impact demonstration of Jeep’s engineering capabilities.