Jeep has blacked out its off-road icon again, and this time the target is squarely the Ford Bronco. The 2027 Jeep Wrangler Smoky Mountain special edition just debuted at the Smoky Mountain Invasion in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the 14th annual gathering for the brand's trail community.

It is the 10th drop in Jeep's Twelve 4 Twelve series, a run of limited special editions dropping roughly one a month. Built on the four-door Wrangler Willys, it costs just $80 more than a comparably equipped Willys, and orders are open now.

Gallery: 2027 Jeep Wrangler Smoky Mountain

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Source: Jeep

What The Smoky Mountain Adds Over Willys

The Smoky Mountain starts from the Willys package, which already brings 33-inch tires, Dana 44 axles front and rear, a locking rear differential and a 4.10 axle ratio. Jeep did not touch that hardware. Instead, the special edition layers on a distinct look, aimed at buyers who want the Willys capability without the Willys badge showing up on every other Wrangler in the trailhead parking lot.

Jeep CEO Branden Coté tied the launch directly to the event where it debuted, saying, "Few places capture the spirit of the Jeep brand quite like Smoky Mountain Invasion. This event brings together thousands of members of the Jeep community who share a passion for adventure, freedom and the outdoors." That is a deliberate pitch to the exact buyer who already owns a Wrangler and shows up to events like this one.

Jeep offers the Smoky Mountain on a four-door Wrangler with an automatic transmission only, a narrower build combination than some past special editions in the Wrangler and Gladiator retro package lineage. Buyers pick between the turbo 2.0-liter four and the 3.6-liter V6, both paired to an automatic gearbox, so there is no manual option on this particular trim.

Photos by: Jeep

Blackout Looks, Off-Road Hardware And Bronco Comparison

The visual changes are where Smoky Mountain earns its name and its separation from Willys. Black 17-inch wheels replace the standard alloys, a gloss black grille darkens the face, and Smoky Mountain hood decals plus body-color hardtop and fender flares complete the factory blacked-out treatment without stepping past the Willys' 33-inch tire and axle specs.

Inside, cloth seats get embossed parachute graphics and Terracotta accent stitching, a nod to the Southern Appalachian mountain culture. Standard comfort equipment includes heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and dual-zone climate control, items that are not guaranteed on every Willys build.

Against the Ford Bronco, the pitch is simple: real 4x4 hardware, a distinct trail-focused look, and a price bump measured in tens of dollars rather than thousands. Jeep is betting that buyers cross-shopping Bronco's Black Diamond and Badlands trims will see the Smoky Mountain's Dana 44 axles and 33-inch tires as the harder-edged, more affordable answer. Shoppers weighing a V8-powered alternative can also look at the 2026 Wrangler Moab 392 with its V8 powertrain for a different flavor of factory off-roader.

Motor1's Take: Jeep's Smoky Mountain lets buyers get Willys-level trail capability wrapped in a stealthier, blacked-out package. That will appeal to shoppers who value genuine 4x4 hardware more than headline engine choices. The trade-off is a narrower set of configurations, so not every buyer will find the exact combo they want.