Jeep Wagoneer mules still run dressed as ram pickups [Updated]

The new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer were finally unveiled in production form this week, but testing remains to be done. With the delivery of the new SUVs on the frame coming in the second half of 2021, it looks like parent company Stellantis is finishing high runs in Colorado with some well-known test mules.

Said prototypes look nothing like the Wagoneer models we know now, and they are undoubtedly deliberate. Reports from early last year point to these test bakers as potential Ram Dakota mules, but there is Jeep DNA under the skin. These camo-clad vehicles mainly test the Wagoneer’s independent rear suspension.

The photos here were cut by Facebook user Wil Derby, who posted the images to a local enthusiast group. He is apparently not alone in seeing such a prototype, as other members have reported spying on similar trucks in the greater Denver area. As reported by GM government last month, the Dakota project was allegedly canceled.

It’s unclear whether we will enter Ram in the mid-size pickup segment to compete with Ford’s Ranger and the Chevrolet Colorado, but it looks like it’s off the table.

Updated at 14:50 ET on 03/12/2021: This story said earlier that these prototypes were potential Dakota test mules. However, several sources have confirmed that these are indeed Wagoneer prototypes with pickups. The copy has been edited to reflect, and The ride regrets the mistake.