American Expedition Vehicles

Truck Trend's Trevor Reed was in Moab, Utah this past April to check out the Brute Double Cab. When we took him out for a spin he came away with some lasting impressions of our latest pickup conversion. He was impressed with the on and off-road handling of our DualSport Suspension System as well as the level of refinement in the custom made composite bed. Check out the link for the full article and pictures.

Brute Force: A Factory-Quality Four-Door JK Truck from the Experts

Automobile Magazine recently paid AEV a visit so they could take the Brute Double Cab for a spin. Despite being a pre-production model, they were impressed with the thoughtful design AEV put into the Double Cab and noted that our truck is on par with OEM standards. We love hearing that because with every product we create we strive for a look, fit and finish that compliments and enhances your on and off-road experience. When you choose AEV we truly want you to feel like you've chosen the best and we think we've achieved that with the Brute Double Cab.

Click here to read Automobile Magazine's full article on their Brute Double Cab test drive.

It’s the middle of March, time for a quick Brute Double Cab update, so we asked AEV’s President and Lead Designer Dave Harriton about the project recently. Here’s what he said:

“The Brute Double Cab we showed at SEMA ‘11 was built from a combination of production and prototype parts, and while it came together great for the show, it was far from a production model. Fast forward a few months, and the first parts of the final sheetmetal for the cab have just hit my desk for review, and I’m happy to report that they look great. We recently started building Brute #2 in Missoula, cutting our beloved Savegre in two. This build will be completely production-intent, and will be used to finalize all of the production components. From there the action shifts to our Wixom, MI facility where work will begin shortly on Brute #3. This build will be used to develop the vehicle build process that will be used for production volumes.

The most significant development work remaining revolves around fine-tuning the chassis and the suspension. Chassis development is being finalized right now, and once that is dialed in we can turn our attention to the suspension. Because of the changes in wheelbase and weight, our standard four door rear JK spring doesn’t deliver the level of ride and handling that we want on the Brute Double Cab, so we are developing a new rear spring specifically for the Brute. This will enable us to tweak the ride, frequency and load capacity specifically for the Brute Double Cab.”

Based on our current development timeline combined with production lead times on some of the critical components, we are shifting our projection for production launch from mid year to the fourth quarter. The response to the Brute Double Cab has been fantastic, and we already have a long and growing waiting list. The initial launch will be opened up first to current owners of AEV vehicles as well as to AEV’s network of certified Jeep dealers, and then to the general public after that. To get your name on the waiting list, please contact Jeff Clark at 248-926-0256 x217. We expect to release pricing on the Brute Double Cab this summer.

Be sure to stop by AEV’s booth at the Moab Easter Jeep Safari to see the Brute Double Cab in person. We’ll be set up in the same spot as last year, in the parking lot of the Carquest on Main St.

Last November at SEMA 2011 Jessi Combs of Autoblog stopped by to talk to AEV's Dave Harriton about the Brute Double Cab. She even asked if she could take it for a drive! Check out the video to see if she was given the keys.

2011 has been a banner year for AEV. We enjoyed continued success with our DualSport Suspension Systems, HEMI conversions and upfits while releasing some great new innovations like the Hi-Lift / Pull-Pal Mount, Fuel Caddy, 2" Spacer Suspension Kit and JK Tubeless Front Bumper. All of these things have contributed to one heck of a year here at AEV, but the cherry on the sundae (some would say it's the whole sundae) is the announcement of the Brute Double Cab at SEMA 2011. After years of planning, engineering, tinkering, blood, sweat and tears nothing made us more proud than showing off the finished product. We knew that we had created something special, but we had no idea that it would be received so well by both our consumer base and media types alike. The response to the Brute Double Cab was gratifying, heart-warming and overwhelming and we can't thank everyone enough for showing their support for our continued hard work and innovation.

Looking to 2012 we're excited to get the ball rolling on production of the Brute Double Cab as well as many yet-to-be-announced products that are sure to make your off-road and overland adventures as fulfilling as possible. Below are some links to just a few of the many fantastic articles about the Brute Double Cab. Enjoy and happy new year!

Motor Trend SEMA 2011 Best of the Rest

Car and Driver Called the Brute Double Cab "The Ultimate Wrangler Pickup"

Truck Trend Covers the release of the Brute Double Cab

Autoblog has some great Brute Double Cab photos

Jalopnik thinks the Brute Double Cab is "great for families"

Jalopnik with some Brute Double Cab photos

Pickuptrucks.com has a nice video review of the Brute Double Cab

Gear Patrol says the Brute Double Cab "could leave treads from Satan’s front lawn to the Arctic and back without missing a beat"

Auto Truck Toys has a nice summary of the Brute Double Cab

When we released the TJ Brute in 2002 at the Las Vegas SEMA Show, not even Chrysler really knew it was coming and it was the absolute hit of the show. It was a great to see the reactions, because at the time nothing like it had ever been done to such a high level of quality. Well, we did it again. Introducing the AEV Brute Double Cab, a double body and separate box pickup truck conversion for JK Wranglers. This is the real deal, targeted at the Overland crowd, this is a vehicle that will perform exceptionally well off-road compared to a Dodge Ram or Dakota, while having more storage room than a four door Wrangler could ever offer.

This is the first conversion of it’s kind, but it’s never about being “first” for us; over three years in development, and like all AEV Products we had to be sure it was ready for prime time before announcing anything. And it is most definitely ready. Go on to read the Press Release and see the truck in person at the AEV Booth in the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Press Release:

American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) will debut the brand new four-door 2012 AEV Brute Double Cab at this year’s SEMA Show, nearly a decade after first introducing its Jeep based Brute pickup truck. AEV’s original Brute was unveiled at SEMA in 2002 as a Jeep pickup conversion that offered superb styling, rugged utility, and the high quality always associated with AEV. Now AEV will once again use SEMA to introduce the popular Brute’s newest incarnation, the Brute Double Cab, a four-door overland vehicle utilizing the newest JK Wrangler to deliver a powerful, unique off-road machine worthy of the Brute moniker.

“When we originally created the Brute, it appealed to off road enthusiasts looking for something different,” says AEV Founder and President Dave Harriton. “Now with the debut of the Brute Double Cab, we’re expanding the Brute series to a four-door platform that has everything people have come to expect from an AEV Brute, but with more interior room and the improved capabilities of the JK platform.” Harriton continues, “The Brute Double Cab shares its DNA with the original Brute, but also draws inspiration from the Land Rover Defender 130, and was designed specifically for the expanding overland travel market. With seating for five and the storage provided by the fold flat rear seats, it makes for an ideal camping platform, whether it be a couple weeks through the Atacama desert or just a weekend trip with the family.”

The original AEV Brute won the hearts of auto enthusiasts of all kinds and also won a Daimler-Chrysler Designer Excellence Award. The all-new Brute Double Cab will follow the same truck-conversion design principle as its predecessor. AEV starts with a four-door JK Wrangler and stretches the chassis 23 inches for a final wheelbase of 139 inches. The overall vehicle length stands at 216 inches, a total increase of 30 inches, with a small frame extension at the rear to accommodate the pickup bed. The interior dimensions of the Brute Double Cab’s truck bed are 61”L x 60”W (44 inches between the wheel houses), offering plenty of haul space in a highly capable off-roader.

Harriton is quick to point out that the Brute Double Cab is not meant to be an alternative to a traditional pickup, but is uniquely positioned to serve the overland market with more off road capability than a four-door truck and more cargo room and carrying capacity than a Jeep.

AEV will offer the Brute Double Cab as a turn-key vehicle built in its Wixom, MI facility, and expects a production release by mid-2012. The opportunity for the first orders will be given exclusively to current owners of AEV vehicles and to AEV’s authorized dealers, with orders opening to the public as production ramps up. For more information, please call 248-926-0256.