Gordinier Group staff closed out the auto show season at downtown Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Center at the New York International Auto Show. Camp Jeep has become a staple at the show since its debut in 2004. There is something amazing about an off-road course in the middle of the city that keeps the crowds coming back. The popular interactive ride pulls in the masses each year to experience the sky scrapping Jeep Mountain with its 40-degree incline and decline as well as other various obstacles demonstrating stability, suspension, ground clearance and articulation of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Gladiator and Grand Cherokee.
That’s a wrap….we’ll be back to auto shows in the fall!
Steeped in history, the Mojave Road is roughly 130 miles of remote desert two-track; most of which lies within the Mojave National Preserve. In 1983, Nissan traversed this road with a group of automotive media to showcase their new 4×4 trucks. Forty years later, Gordinier Group was tasked by Nissan USA with recreating this iconic media drive.
In preparation for this two-night, three-day trip, our team worked diligently on all the details.
- Securing all filming/photography/event permits
- Outfitting all media, clients, and staff with camping gear
- Sourcing backcountry-capable chefs for meals on-trail and in camp
- Pre-running entire route to develop proper timing and logistics for the caravan
- Staffing a trail guide, trail support team as well as an advance team for camp set-up
- Supplying recovery gear, first aid, and communication assets (both GMRS and Satellite)
- Vehicle logistics for the duration of the event
Once on the Mojave Road, our team led a group of 10, 2023 Nissan Frontier Pro4X trucks. The media were treated to a narrated history of the road throughout the drive and fresh trail-side lunches. Along the way, the group posed for photos to recreate images taken on the original trip in 1983. Each night, upon arrival in camp, media guests were escorted to their pre-built tents to drop their gear and relax. Craft cocktails preceded a gourmet dinner with wine pairings provided by our friends from Overland Cookery. On day 2, vigilant monitoring of weather radar by our trail team enabled them to route the group around some inclement weather and get to camp safely. The trip was a complete success, and our media guests enjoyed an incredible experience in the desert.
In the end, our client could not have been happier. The following is a quote from a post-event email:
I want to thank you, Jeff, and the rest of the team for the outstanding work for the event. Your guys got things done before I even thought of them and made the trip much better for everyone. You guys weren’t very visible but made things happen in the background and it was great. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the support.
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- Historical Photo Recreation
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- various photos courtesy of AJ Mueller
Some great articles and videos that captured the moments of the Nissan Mojave Road adventure:
- Full article from GearJunkie – gearjunkie.com
- TFL Off Road: 130 Miles on The Mojave Trail – YouTube
- Autoblog: Nissan Frontier Pro-4X overlanding on the Mojave Road (autoblog.com)
Stellantis and the Canadian International Auto Show collaborated to add Camp Jeep to the floorplan this year for the first time! This addition proved to be a good choice as attendance broke records at over 350,000 visitors at the Metro Toronto Convention Center and the interactive ride was a huge attraction. Gordinier Group Drivers and Product Specialists were there to surprise the masses for the debut of Camp Jeep. Attendees were amazed by the obstacles and how the Jeeps can maneuver through the 4×4 challenge. As Camp Jeep has proven over the years, there is no better way to show consumers firsthand how capable these vehicles are. GG drivers love bringing that talent to a new market with a variety of Jeeps on course including the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and 392, the Gladiator, the Grand Cherokee and Compass Trailhawks, as well as the Grand Cherokee L with the 3 row seat. The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer also made the trip to showcase the Full-Size SUV aspects in the Jeep lineup.
The Gordinier Group descended on the 2023 Chicago Auto Show to celebrate two milestones: the 20th anniversary of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and the 3 millionth Camp Jeep ride.
In preparation for the reveal of the 20th Anniversary Jeep Wrangler Rubicon to the automotive media, our team choreographed the installation of a dynamic setting only a Jeep could conquer. The reveal stage buildout required the following:
- 120 tons of boulders
- 200 yards of topsoil
- 120 yards of mulch
- 30 evergreen trees
Once complete, our drivers were tasked with precisely navigating the rough terrain on cue while Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand North America, spoke about the incredible capabilities of three different 20th Anniversary Jeep Wrangler Rubicon models. The drivers nailed their spots and the resulting images and stories flooded social media channels.
After the press conference, the Camp Jeep activation kicked off with rides for the media. Once the show opened to the public, the 28,000 square foot off-road adventure went into full swing. Our professional drivers gave participants an opportunity to experience several challenging off-road obstacles that included the 28-foot high Jeep Mountain with 40-degree approach and departure angles, an extreme break-over obstacle, and a 30-degree articulation wedge.
Adding to the excitement this year was the anticipation of the 3 millionth ride at Camp Jeep and on Saturday, January 11th, 2023, our Gordinier Group drivers conquered that milestone! We can’t thank our partners at Stellantis and George P. Johnson enough. It is an incredible team, and we are so proud to be part of the Camp Jeep legacy.