Vigilante Scrambler is a truly utilitarian restomod

This joyful slice of Americana comes courtesy of Vigilante, the Texas-based company responsible for some entertainingly OTT restomods of classic model Jeeps, including the iconic Cherokee and Wagoneer.

Now the company has gone back to basics with the Scrambler, a nut-and-bolt restoration that returns to the original civilian Jeep model. Open-topped and furnished with spartan precision, the Scrambler is intended for those who consider the Wagoneer or Cherokee to be a little bit too comfortable.

Instead, this is a 4x4 designed to be used on and especially off the road. Vigilante has come up with an all-new chassis for the model, improving the suspension and steering and providing a solid platform for a raucous 485-horsepower 392 crate HEMI V8 – another all-American, full-fat classic. The stripped-down bodywork creates a light, usable, go-anywhere machine.

Despite the MOPAR muscle, there’s still way more refinement here than you’ll ever find in an early-generation original Jeep. The longer wheelbase, bespoke steering geometry and suspension set-up go some way to updating the driving experience, as does the new brake set-up, and customers have the choice of an auto box or a five-speed manual gearbox.

‘It’s the truck you leave at the ranch for morning chores and take to the beach for sunset drives’
Vigilante founder Daniel van Doveren

Craftsmanship and quality have not been overlooked, with no detail too small to get the custom treatment. The demonstrator’s Scrambler bonnet graphics hew closely to the familiar nameplates of the 1970s and 1980s, and the colour combo is also completely on point. Modern climate control and media connectivity are concealed within the back-to-basics dashboard, while unique wheel designs evoke the stripped-back simplicity of an earlier era.

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Interior details of the Vigilante Scrambler

According to Vigilante founder Daniel van Doveren, ‘the Scrambler is the utility player for the Vigilante collector. It’s the truck you leave at the ranch for morning chores and take to the beach for sunset drives. It offers a raw, tactile connection to the environment that complements the enclosed luxury of the Wagoneer, without ever sacrificing the performance our owners have come to rely on.’

Vigilante Scrambler, from $260,000, Vigilante4x4.com, @Vigilante4x4

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Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.