The Jeep® brand and the virtual game heroine Lara Croft, played by Angelina Jolie, will be showing off their capabilities like never before as a customized Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and the world-renowned tomb raider team up for extreme adventure in the Paramount release, “Tomb Raider II: Lara Croft and the Cradle of Life.” "We view Jeep as the perfect partner in this film because the brand's attributes are a natural fit with the Lara Croft character, " said Lisa DiMarzio, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing Partnerships, Paramount. "Lara embodies Jeep core values: authenticity, mastery, adventure and freedom."
As part of the campaign, the Jeep brand is creating an original TV spot and print advertising that features Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. The ads are part of a 360-degree integrated marketing campaign designed to be used in all levels of brand communication around this association.
The Chrysler Group's Jeep Design Studio team, in collaboration with Kirk Petruccelli and Graham Kelly from the Paramount Tomb Raider II production team, designed and built the customized Jeep Wrangler Rubicon featured in the film.
“To create the vehicle, we took the ultimate off-road machine, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, and tailored it to fit what aristocratic Lady Lara Croft, would need to do her job as a tomb raider,” said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President, Product Design, Chrysler Group. “This specialized vehicle includes original Rubicon features, after-market components used by many off-road enthusiasts and unique never-before-seen custom features.”
Lara's unique vehicle (three were built for the film) boasts an array of functional modifications, such as a roll cage with grab bars, a skid plate with simulated HID lighting and an interior with specially designed gauges, shifters, instrument panel, console and door trim. The aftermarket components used to complete the Lara Croft's Jeep Wrangler Rubicon include Hanson Enterprises front and rear bumpers, Mickey Thompson 35” Baja Claw tires and Classic II wheel with bead locks, Skyjacker four-inch skyjacker Double Flex suspension lift, Warn winch and Bushwacker riveted fender flares.
“Wrangler is the icon of the Jeep brand and continues to be the original “go-anywhere do-anything” freedom machine that provides maximum versatility and performance,” said Jeff Bell, Vice President Jeep, Chrysler Group. “In the movie, this vehicle will be showcased in many rugged and extreme situations, highlighting key strengths of the brand in a new and exciting way. “You'll see the Jeep driving 80 mph across harsh desert and jungle terrain without any
difficulty. That's real Jeep 4x4 capability and that's Jeep adventure.”
Text and photos courtesy of DaimlerChrysler AG
