Jeep is going through a massive make over owing to lots of help from parent company Fiat. Fiat plans to make Jeep a major global brand with many new varied products in its portfolio and boost sales all over the globe. Most new Jeep products will be based on Fiat platforms and technology which ultimately will be used as basis for many products in the Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo line-up. The success of this partnership can already be seen with sales of Jeeps in the USA going up by 16 percent last month.
Jeep will build two new compact crossovers by 2014 using a small platform from Fiat and Fiat drivetrains which will be built in Italy and sold over the world followed by Fiat versions of the same. Jeep will discontinue their compact SUV’s Compass and Patriot, to be replaced by a single new product. A new mid-sized SUV, based on a Fiat platform, will be developed to replace the discontinued Liberty model. The flagship Grand Cherokee will be facelifted in 2014 and it will be replaced by a brand new car by 2016-2017 using Fiat underpinnings. The new Maserati SUV, the Levante, will be based on this car. It may also provide a basis for an all new Alfa Romeo SUV by 2015.
A new more luxurious and bigger SUV than the Grand Cherokee will be developed and will start production in 2014, called the Wagoneer. The only car to retain its Jeep architecture will be the Wrangler. But along with the new Cherokee, this car too will be replaced by a brand new car by 2016-2017. With so many new products and sharing of platforms, drivetrains and technology, the manufacturers have to retain the basic character of Jeep, as a rugged sturdy SUV with a go-anywhere attitude. With so many other products from Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo sharing the same structure, it is important for Jeep to retain its unique identity to be successful as a global brand.
Source – Auto News
