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Famous Jeeps: Lara Croft's Jeep Wrangler Rubicon from Tomb Raider

Updated on May 29, 2025

The Tomb Raider franchise has captivated audiences for decades, since the release of the first self-titled video game in 1996. Nearly thirty years, thirty-plus games, and three films later, the franchise still receives love from video game and action film fans alike.

Regardless of the multitude of media released under the Tomb Raider moniker, die-hard fanatics were likely created during the initial five games or, more memorably, the initial two movies starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. However, Jolie isn't the subject of this month's Famous Jeeps piece.

In the second film of the franchise, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Lara Croft pilots one of the most memorable vehicles in film history—a modified, silver 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon sitting on a moderate suspension lift, 35-inch-tall tires, and a slew of other modifications that'd make any Jeep enthusiast jump out of their seat.

Read on to learn more about this iconic screen-used Jeep, including its features, its use in the film, and even a DIY build guide for recreating the Jeep at home.

Table of Contents:

The Film

The Jeep

The Tomb Raider Special Edition

Build Your Own Tomb Raider Inspired Wrangler TJ

The Film: Tomb Raider—The Cradle of Life

A person in a gray outfit with a long braid stands confidently in front of a large "Tomb Raider" sign against a dramatic sky.

Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is the second installment of the "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" film franchise and the last to cast Angelina Jolie as the iconic Croft. In this film, Croft, alongside ex-partner Terry (Gerard Butler), sets out on a mission to uncover Pandora's box—a mythical package that, according to legend, holds organisms that could desolate entire populations.

The two work together to uncover the artifact before it's discovered by the film's primary antagonists, Jonathan Reiss and Chen Lo. However, a twist toward the film's end unveils a secondary antagonist, leading Lara to decide between the fate of the world and her desires.

The Jeep: 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

A silver Jeep Rubicon with off-road modifications on display at an indoor auto show, surrounded by visitors and modern architecture.

In the film, Lara Croft pilots a heavily modified silver Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The Jeep is used in several off-road action sequences, highlighting the capabilities of the newly released Wrangler Rubicon package. While seemingly a cross between product placement and good sensibilities by the production team, the TJ Rubicon is an undeniable icon of the off-road industry, and its placement in the film only aided its legendary status.

The Tomb Raider Special Edition Wrangler

Silver Jeep Wrangler Rubicon displayed indoors, featuring off-road tires, a winch, and roll bars, with a Jeep sign in the background.

In 2003, Jeep debuted a special-edition Wrangler Rubicon alongside the film's release. The "Tomb Raider Edition" Wrangler started with a base Rubicon trim in Bright Silver Metallic and added a slew of upgrades inspired by the screen-used Jeep, including:

16-in. Alcoa forged aluminum wheels
Tomb Raider badging
Tubular light bar with four auxiliary lights
Riveted fender flares
Black Tubular grille guard
Diamond plate bumper guard
Rock rails
Fog lamp and taillamp guards
Black tubular grille guard

Other upgrades included a one-off graphite and red interior, a silver instrument bezel, and red seat belts. Of approximately 16,000 Wrangler Rubicon products in 2003, between 1,001 and 1,050 were Tomb Raider editions.

Build Your Own Tomb Raider-Inspired Wrangler TJ

If you're looking to pilot your own Tomb Raider Rubicon but can't stomach the price point of the collectible special edition, consider building a replica of the screen-used Jeep. In this section, we'll provide a comprehensive list of parts to transform any Silver Rubicon into a screen-accurate tribute to Lara Croft's ride.

Platform

A dark blue Jeep Rubicon with a hardtop is parked in a lot, surrounded by other vehicles.

To start things off, we'll need a solid platform to build on. Due to the upgraded driveline, larger displacement engine, and off-road-centric features, we recommend holding out for a true Rubicon over any generic TJ.

While the screen-used Wrangler is a 2003 model, any 2003–06 Wrangler Rubicon should suffice. Finding a factory silver Jeep would be a huge bonus, especially with a graphite interior.

Body

2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon from Tomb Rader.

The screen-used TJ's body wears factory Bright Silver Metallic (PS2) paint with a Dark Slate Gray interior. We'd recommend finding a Jeep in this configuration to avoid the additional paintwork costs or swapping interior panels. Still, these extra costs can be overlooked if you find another-spec Rubicon for a screaming deal.

The body of the screen-used Jeep sports several upgrades. The factory bumpers have been replaced with heavy-duty aftermarket units, similar to the RealTruck Rampage Recovery front bumper. The Jeep also features a winch, similar to the RealTruck Traction Recovery 10K winch.

One of the most prominent changes to Croft's Jeep's body is its flares, which have been replaced with a set of extra-wide, pocket-style flares. We recommend RealTruck Bushwacker Max Coverage pocket-style fender flares for maximum quality, coverage, and style.

Wheels and Tires

Silver Jeep with large off-road tires displayed in an indoor showroom, surrounded by people and bright overhead lighting.

The screen-used Jeep sits on a rugged set of wheels and tires—however, both the Mickey Thompson Classic Lock II wheels and the Mickey Thompson Baja Claw tires they're wrapped in have been discontinued for years. If you can't source these parts second-hand, we'd recommend settling for similarly styled options, like Mickey Thompson Polished Classic III wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ P3 tires.

Suspension

Lara's Jeep sits on a mild lift kit—nothing too tall or small, with just enough clearance for 35-inch-tall tires. Our best guess is a 4-inch lift, similar to the RealTruck Superlift 4" standard lift kits.

Snorkel, Lights, and Accessories

A person in sunglasses drives a white Jeep Rubicon off-road through a wooded area, showcasing its rugged design and large tires.

To finish the tribute build, consider adding some standout accessories, like a snorkel air intake, off-road lights, and rock sliders.

If you follow these blueprints, you'll be driving your screen-accurate tribute to Lara Croft's Jeep Cherokee XJ from Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.

As always, we offer all the parts and know-how to piece together this build and countless others at RealTruck. For additional information, check out the rest of our articles on RealSource, and don't hesitate to contact the experts.