'We did this': Top Jeep designer takes credit for off-roading styling rage

MORGAN KORNSun, April 12, 2026 at 10:02 AM UTC

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'We did this': Top Jeep designer takes credit for off-roading styling rage

Vince Galante was not a "hardcore Jeep guy" at first.

That all changed when he attended the Easter Jeep Safari event in Moab, Utah, as a young designer. The annual affair, which draws Jeep owners and enthusiasts from around the globe, has become a crucial testing ground for the brand. Galante, who was named vice president of Jeep exterior design in 2023, brings the concepts he and his team have been working on all year to the remote desert town, looking for reaction from longtime Jeepers.

Galante said being immersed in the off-roading culture has truly taught him how to design a capable Jeep: making sure the approach and departure angles still looked cool as drivers climbed, crawled and conquered brutal off-road trails.

"After coming here, I got a new excitement and respect for the brand," he told ABC News in an interview.

Stellantis - PHOTO: Vince Galante, vice president of Jeep external design, said attending Easter Jeep Safari is mandatory for the brand's designers.

Galante recognizes that his design decisions are being carefully watched and scrutinized by the Jeep community; his predecessor, Mark Allen, was a legend.

The 20-year Jeep veteran talked about the upcoming electric Recon, how the brand started the boxy SUV craze and the prep he's doing for next year's Moab meetup.

The interview below has been edited for clarity.

Q: When you took over as Jeep's head of exterior design in 2023, what did Mark Allen, your former boss, tell you? What was his advice?

A: Don't blank it up [laughs]. I worked for Mark for like 12 years, he was basically my mentor. He taught me most everything I know, between him and Ralph [Gilles]. Ralph was my teacher in college, he kind of brought me into the company. Between Mark and Ralph, I think I had OK mentors [laughs].

The day before Mark retired, we went into the studio. It was a corporate holiday, so nobody was there. It was just him and I walking through the studio for about three hours, just chatting. We had a special handoff. I worked for him for so long, it was like, "Don't mess it up," but maybe a little bit more colorful.

Q: How do you want to make your own mark on the brand now?

A: What I love about the brand most, and why I think I have always gravitated toward it, is just how much fun we can have. I love how the brand is so inclusive. Unlike other brands, we embrace what people are doing to their vehicles -- I think it's so cool. Of course, we're going to make good products that are great for people. I love pushing more colors, I love these special editions we're doing. I love making different wheels. We can be so inclusive and embrace the community and try to help them -- that for me is the part that's so special and will help us stay relevant with future generations.

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Stellantis - PHOTO: The Jeep Grand Wagoneer Commander concept.

Q: Speaking of colors, which you call "Skittles," how many customers actually choose the greens and purples and pinks?

A: The most popular colors are still white, silver, black, grey. There is a small percentage [of customers] who buy those Skittles colors or drab military colors ... these are the people who are the proudest and loudest.

Q: How long does the team prepare for an event like Easter Jeep Safari? When do you start putting these concepts together?

A: I am already thinking about next year's [EJS]. We like them to be like fast fashion -- we get the ideas, feel the energy here and go back [to the studio]. Sometimes people love [the concepts], sometimes they like them, sometimes they're OK. We're trying stuff, we're having fun, we want the feedback. We try to be nimble with these, versus a production program that takes years.

Q: What's your favorite concept this year?

A: The Anvil. It's just so cool. It's green, the front end is super tough. It has the safari, overlanding look. Dark wheels and tires. I like the vibe of that one a lot.

Stellantis - PHOTO: The Jeep Wrangler Anvil 715 concept.

Q: Boxy, aggressive styling on SUVs has been hugely popular with consumers. Nearly every automaker has some off-road variant or trim. How does Jeep stand out?

A: I like to think that we started that. Around 2010, that's when we started doing those Army colors and the Skittles colors and the red tow hooks. Even the Altitude Edition with the black wheels -- at the time no one was really doing that. And now it's really picked up. The last three, four, five years everybody is embracing this rugged styling. That's always been us, so we'll continue to do that. And to be honest, everybody always asks me, "What do you think [about the competition] ... this is Jeep's territory, right?" I am kind of encouraged and fueled by it. People thought it was cool. We did that. I am glad that the work we're doing has become a trend now.

Stellantis - PHOTO: The Jeep Cherokee Upland concept.

Q: Another rising trend is customization and designing a bespoke vehicle. When will Jeep have its own customization division?

A: Right now we have our Jeep Performance Parts but we also have a lot of affiliate programs that offer pages and pages of cool parts. I think a small step into that is the Twelve 4 Twelve program. The Rewind is completely different from the Rock Slide and Willys 392 -- each one of them has its own unique personality. I think the Twelve 4 Twelve program will be a good step in that direction. People will see a ton of cool, diverse ideas from us.

Stellantis - PHOTO: The Jeep Wrangler Rewind was unveiled April 12 as part of the brand's "Twelve 4 Twelve Drop."

Q: Let's talk about the upcoming electric Recon. What was the design directive with that vehicle?

A: Jeep first, electric second. With electric cars, the thing that is the hardest to capture is the experience of it and making it engaging. And feeling that same passion as you do with a regular car. With the Recon, it's about the look, the doors off capability, the trail rating ... forget about the powertrain. It needs to look like a Jeep. Not too many cars have doors that come off. And it's got to be trail rated. So we got those three things.

Stellantis - PHOTO: The Moab trim on the electric Jeep Recon will be offered exclusively in the U.S. and Canada.

Q: Is going to Moab mandatory for the design team?

A: Mandatory trip? Yes. This is where I learned how to make a cool Jeep. It wasn't design school. When I came out here, I was like "Oh." We have to make sure approach and departure angles look cool. We got to get those belt lines down so you can see ... these are not normal car things. Not all the [designers] are hardcore Jeep guys coming in. But typically after a trip here, they become hardcore Jeep guys.

I grew up with a Jeep in the family, my mom had an XJ Cherokee. It was our first family Jeep. She still has one today. So, Jeep has always been an important part of my growing up. I wasn't a hardcore, off-roader, going out into the woods and camping and all that stuff. After coming here, I got a new excitement and respect for the brand.

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