Jeep has released so many Wrangler special editions over the years that another one usually isn’t much of a surprise. However, the price tag attached to its latest version does deserve some attention.
Called the Wrangler Smoky Mountain, the new 2027 model takes the already capable Willys and gives it a darker appearance, several unique interior details, and extra comfort equipment. Jeep says the whole package costs just $80 more than a comparably equipped Wrangler Willys in the United States.
There is a catch to that remarkably small number. This isn’t an $80 package you can add to the cheapest Willys, since the comparison is against a Willys already fitted with similar optional equipment.
Still, for buyers who were planning to tick those boxes anyway, the Smoky Mountain offers quite a bit of additional personality for roughly the price of a tank of gas. Orders are already open.
The Willys Hardware Stays
Jeep based the Smoky Mountain exclusively on the four-door Wrangler Willys, meaning the important off-road hardware is already included. It gets Dana 44 axles front and rear, a locking rear differential, 4.10 gearing, steel rock rails, and 33-inch tires.
Those tires are mounted on black 17-inch wheels, while buyers who want additional ground clearance can upgrade to 35-inch BFGoodrich rubber. A trailer hitch is also standard.
The Smoky Mountain doesn’t introduce any significant mechanical changes, which isn’t necessarily a problem. The Willys already occupies a useful spot in the Wrangler lineup for buyers wanting serious trail equipment without stepping all the way up to the Rubicon.
Jeep revealed the special edition at the Smoky Mountain Invasion in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It’s the tenth release in the company’s Twelve 4 Twelve program, which has been steadily introducing limited and special-edition Jeeps.
Jeep Gave It The Blackout Treatment
Most of the Smoky Mountain’s changes are visual. A gloss-black seven-slot grille joins black wheels and dark Smoky Mountain hood graphics, while body-color fender flares and a body-color hardtop give the Wrangler a cleaner appearance.
Jeep will also offer its Sky One-Touch Power Top as an option. The result isn’t dramatically different from a conventional Wrangler Willys, although the darker detailing gives it a slightly more distinctive factory-customized look.
The interior gets considerably more attention. Black Ferndale cloth seats feature diamond-plate-inspired inserts, Black Soulmate bolsters, Terracotta stitching, and 1941 Willys parachute graphics on the backrests.
There are smaller Easter eggs scattered around the cabin as well. The shifter medallion depicts a mother bear and cub, while a special rear swing-gate plaque shows a 1941 Willys parachuting over the Smoky Mountains beneath a starry sky.
Heated Seats Are Part Of The Deal
The Smoky Mountain also bundles several features that make a Wrangler easier to live with away from the trail. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a universal garage-door opener are included.
A 12.3-inch Uconnect infotainment display handles the digital side of things. Blaze Orange metallic accents, technical-pattern dashboard trim, and anodized carbon-look rings further distinguish the cabin from a regular Willys.
Buyers have two familiar engines to choose from. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder produces 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, while the naturally aspirated 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 makes 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft.
Both engines are paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Anyone hoping to combine the special edition with a manual gearbox will therefore have to look elsewhere in the Wrangler range.
That $80 Needs Some Context
Jeep says the Smoky Mountain starts just “$80 above a popularly equipped Wrangler Willys,” rather than providing a simple standalone starting price. A similarly specced four-door Wrangler Willys costs around $51,000, so the comparison isn’t against the considerably cheaper base version.
In other words, buyers shouldn’t expect to walk into a dealership, spend another $80 on a basic Willys, and drive away with all of the Smoky Mountain’s equipment. The tiny premium applies once the Willys has been equipped with comparable comfort and appearance features.
Once that’s understood, the special edition still looks like a surprisingly good deal, as the Smoky Mountain comes with unique styling, interior details, and a special-edition identity.
Plenty of special editions ask thousands of dollars for badges, graphics, and a different set of wheels. The Smoky Mountain takes the opposite approach by keeping the proven Willys hardware, adding some blackout styling and useful everyday equipment, and then making the price difference small enough that buyers barely need to think about it.