TNC's Jeep Wrangler Is the Rugged-Chic Way to Hit the Trails

 These special Jeep Wrangler builds have what you need to head off-road in style.

Forget muscle cars and hot rods—the most customized and personalized vehicle genre on the planet has to be off-road SUVs and trucks. One of the first stops a proud new Jeep or Toyota Tacoma owner makes on the way home from the dealership is their local 4x4 shop for bumpers, roof racks, lifts, wheels, tires, and lights—and they probably already hit the manufacturer's accessory catalog. Sometimes, the end result is less than cohesive, more an amalgam of individual parts than a nicely modified trail-buster.

Not so with True North Collections' (TNC) special Jeep Wrangler builds. These bespoke, pseudo overlanding rigs are the brainchild of TNC founder and head honcho Shane Russeck, a professional wildlife photographer who turned his love of well-kept classic 4x4 trucks into a business. Alongside TNC's selection of impeccable and occasionally restomodded GM Squarebodies, the True North Edition Jeep Wrangler is unabashedly modern, with each based on brand-new JL-series Wranglers ordered from the factory by TNC.

Of the factory powertrains, TNC's Jeeps are for now limited to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 or the new 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6, but the company expects to eventually use the forthcoming V-8-powered Rubicon 392 as a starter rig, too. Aesthetically, the True North Edition Wrangler takes welcome inspiration from Land Rover Defenders both old and new, incorporating a slick safari-style hardtop with curved roof windows, a cargo rack, a ladder, and tethered hood supports.

Elsewhere, standard heavy-duty body bits include large front and rear bumpers with an integrated winch, rock sliders, fender flares, side-steps, tow hooks, and a set of Hella auxiliary lights. A lift kit jacks everything into the sky, and the whole shebang rides on a set of rather handsome steelie-style wheels wrapped in aggressive off-road rubber.

TNC touches can be found inside, as well, including edition-specific leather upholstery and badging. Each Jeep arrives with a special handmade leather duffel to match the rig, so your soiled hiking pants and greasy camp pans have a bougie stowage spot while you motor back to basecamp. Pricing isn't listed on TNC's website, but it does mention availability begins next week, so get your orders in now if you like the look of this rugged-chic Jeep.