Hellcat-Swapped 2021 Jeep Gladiator Is a Dune-Bashing Tactical Off-Road Weapon

The good folks over at the Driving Line channel on YouTube decided to catch up to their latest work and arranged a meeting with the company owner CJ Breaux. Yes, there are serene parts as well... but only when the stand-out features (Hellcat, Dana 60s, huge suspension kit, 40-inch Nittos, or the KMC beadlocks) don’t go to work.

Imagine the perspective, as Ford and Stellantis (PSA plus Fiat-Chrysler, in case anyone forgot) heat up their 2021 Bronco and Wrangler teams for all-out war later this year. But there’s one contender to the midsize off-road game that seems to stay one step ahead of everyone else with ample support from the aftermarket segment.

It’s the JT Jeep Gladiator, of course, and when it’s not going for 6x6 conversions it seems the LED headlights are firmly pointed toward Houston, Texas. There, if you don’t want the HPE treatment, you can still go for a Hellcat Hemi V8 swap if you’re willing to pay $58,995. But why stop there, when you can go all-out on the truck, as showcased by the latest build from Tactical Off-Road.

By the way, the Driving Line video (embedded below) is neatly arranged in chapters, so we can easily focus on the aspects we’re most interested in knowing about. For us, the whole package seems worthwhile (until you hear about the total $150 - $170k costs), meaning we can also bring on the dune-bashing podium the highlights we’re most interested in.

Sure, the Hellcat conversion would be a prime contender, but it turns out the company has something even better – a $68,995 Demon swap! Instead, we got mostly mesmerized by the balanced mix of crazy off-road components. We simply love the way the Gladiator proudly wears those Ultimate Dana 60 axles, the EVO suspension lift kit, the huge Nitto Trail Grapplers wrapped around the KMC wheels, as well as all that additional “body armor.”