Marathon Jeep® Rubicon GSAR®
Cars & motorsport
Rugged Good Looks On and Off the Wrist
Jeep and Marathon Watches have teamed up for a rugged lineup of timepieces that celebrate the two iconic brands and their military roots.
By Nate Chapnick
Contributor
Earlier this year, the Canadian watch brand Marathon (known for its military-inspired tool watches) announced a new partnership with the American carmaker, Jeep. This collaboration brings together two icons of endurance and precision, promising both car and watch enthusiasts an unparalleled adventure experience both on and off the road. The partnership celebrates a shared heritage of rugged durability and military-inspired functionality, encapsulated in both the Jeep Wrangler's design evolution and Marathon's specialized timepieces.
Form and Function Combine in the Wrangler Rubicon X
First, let’s take an in-depth look at all the Wrangler Rubicon X has to offer. It immediately stands out with its more aggressive styling cues. The result retains that iconic Jeep aesthetic yet blends it with modern enhancements, like a factory-installed 8,000-pound Warn winch, an integrated off-road camera, and the first-ever full-float Dana 44 HD rear axle.
Most noticeable for the 2024 model is a redesigned seven-slot grille that allows for improved airflow as well as a newly updated wheel design. This marks another Wrangler first for the Rubicon X two-door: standard 35-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. These giant shoes are perfectly suited for testing the Wrangler’s off-road chops, whether you’re taking it through mud fording in up to 34 inches of water or mastering a vertical rock obstacle with its 47.2-degree approach angle.
Interior and Technology
Inside, the Wrangler Rubicon X offers the most refined Wrangler experience ever, with advanced technology and premium amenities. Sumptuous Napa leather seats come standard on the Rubicon X, as does the new 12-way power-adjustable front seats, a first for the Wrangler.
Jeep also ups the ante on tech, introducing a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a new Trails Offroad navigation system. With the Trails Off-Road Guide, you can easily access the trailheads to more than 200 off-road destinations across the country. In addition, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system provides thumping bass and plenty of volume for those open-air, drop-top jaunts.
Jeep also thought about safety for 2024, incorporating standard front and second-row side curtain airbags to augment the existing front seat-mounted side airbags. With these changes, the 2024 Wrangler is more comfortable and safer than ever before.
Under the Hood
The Rubicon X can be had with your choice of two powertrains: pure gas or a plug-in hybrid. The plug-in hybrid electric Wrangler 4xe combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with two electric motors and a 400-volt 17-kWh battery pack to generate a combined 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. In this setup, the Wrangler manages an impressive 49 miles per gallon equivalent, sprints from zero to 60 mph in about 5.2 seconds, and capabilities to drive for 21 miles solely on electricity.
The other engine option is the tried and true 3.6-liter V6, which makes 285 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. Zero to 60 mph takes a rather leisurely 7.5 seconds, making the Rubicon X 4xe the one to pick for ultimate acceleration and fuel economy.
Jeep x Marathon Collaboration
To achieve the ultimate in off-road cred, pair your Wrangler Rubicon X with one of the four timepieces from Jeep and Marathon’s capsule collection. Both Jeep and Marathon have histories deeply intertwined with military forces, dating back to WWII. At that time, both brands began supplying their wares to Allied Forces, including the Willys MB (the original army Jeep) as well as field watches.
The modern collection, introduced in May, features four distinctive models: two in the Officer's Series and two in the Search and Rescue (SAR) Series, each paying homage to iconic Jeep vehicles past and present, like the Willys MB and the Wrangler Rubicon. T
he Officer's Series takes a more vintage approach, incorporating design elements from the original field watches Marathon issued in WWII as well as Jeep’s Willys MB. Between the two variants, you get the option of either a mechanical or quartz movement.
Aside from the caliber, the two models in the Officer’s Series are largely similar with a 41mm stainless steel build and matte black dial with enhanced legibility thanks to Marathon’s photo-reactive MaraGlo luminous material applied to the hands and Arabic numeral hour markers. In addition, both models are topped off with a premium Crazy Horse leather strap.
Ready-for-Adventure Wrist Instruments
Alternatively, the co-branded models in the SAR Series build on Marathon’s best-known watch, the SAR diver, and beef it up with contemporary design cues from the Wrangler Rubicon. On the surface, the two SAR models bear some similarities to the watches in the Officer’s Series, like the option of a quartz or mechanical movement and a 41mm stainless steel construction as well as a black dial.
However, you get the added bonus of dive watch functionality with the SAR collection’s signature oversized 120-click rotating timing bezel, along with solid screw-down casebacks and 300 meters of water resistance. As the cherry on top, you get that nod to the Wrangler Rubicon with engravings on the nine o’clock side of the case that depict the iconic seven-slot Jeep grille and the Willys star emblem on the crown. Last but not least, these divers get topped off with rubber straps.
Each of the four collaborative models comes equipped with a stainless-steel caseback with an engraving of the Jeep brand's lifestyle motto, "Go Anywhere, Do Anything.” Additionally, each timepiece proudly displays "Since 1941" to commemorate the brands' shared military heritage.
The Jeep x Marathon collection is available for purchase on the Marathon website and select authorized dealers, retailing for $500 – $1,500. Meanwhile, the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon X starts at $75,785.