Call of Duty Black Ops Jeep: The 2011 Wrangler Edition

2 min read

Jeep built a real, buyable Wrangler in the game's livery, sold it through dealerships, and put it in the game as well.

The Call of Duty Black Ops Jeep is not a vehicle you unlock. It is a car you could buy: the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition, built after Activision named Jeep the exclusive automotive partner for the game.

What it was

The special edition was based on the Wrangler Rubicon and finished in black, with Call of Duty: Black Ops graphics on the roof and front quarter panels and dark Rubicon wheels in high-gloss Mineral Gray.

Mechanically it was Rubicon hardware rather than a sticker job:

32-inch off-road tyres
Live axles with locking differentials front and rear
A two-speed transfer case
Mopar taillamp guards and fuel-filler door

What it cost

US manufacturer's suggested retail price was $30,625 for the two-door and $33,500 for the four-door Wrangler Unlimited.

The in-game side

The partnership ran both directions — Jeep vehicles were integrated into the campaign and multiplayer of Black Ops itself, which is why the tie-in reads as more than a badge. Chrysler repeated the idea the following year with a Modern Warfare 3 edition Wrangler, making it a short-lived series of Call of Duty Jeeps rather than a one-off.

Finding one now

These were limited-run 2011 model-year vehicles, so they turn up on the used market rather than at dealerships. Condition varies wildly — the graphics package is the part that dates, and plenty of owners have removed it. If you are shopping, the Rubicon underpinnings are what actually make the car worth having.