Next gen Grand Cherokee will be a street suv

[Life_in_4Lo]

The focus in MPG's and street concerns is clear. 1.8 billion retool to turn the trail rated JGC into a Jeep Compass.


The auto maker will invest $1.8 billion to retool and expand its Detroit assembly plant that currently makes the truck-based Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler President Tom LaSorda said Wednesday on the sidelines of the Center for Automotive Research Management Conference. The investment will keep about 400 jobs in Michigan.

LaSorda said the new vehicles will retain the Grand Cherokee name and will hit dealer showrooms in 2010.

This is the first major product move Chrysler has made as industry sales of pickup trucks and SUVs continue to fall as gasoline prices remain near $4 a gallon. Ford Motor Co. (F) has already announced plans to build six new small cars in North America based on its European models. Those vehicles are scheduled to roll into showrooms starting in 2010. General Motors Corp. (GM) is also boosting its car output and will close some North America pickup truck and SUV plants.

"The segment the Grand Cherokee competes in has seen some of the most decline (because of the) high gas prices," said Global Insight analyst Rebecca Lindland. "This new product will allow the consumer to keep all attributes of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. They won't be able to navigate the Rubicon trail but they will get to the grocery store on less fuel."

[Root Moose]

Dumb move that reeks of panic stricken, bean counter mentality.

Jeep will soon just be another badge at ChryCo to be killed off like Plymouth.

[durango_60]

What a shame, they were really going down the right path with the diesel.

[computeruser]

Not surprising, given the demographic that is/was the primary buyers of that vehicle. And in all honesty, I can't blame them for making the change. 99.9% of JGC buyers couldn't care less whether the vehicle has 6" of ground clearance or 10", has a serious 4x4 system, or much of anything else, so long as it gets them to the mall and offers a bit of traction advantage in 4wd on snowy interstates.

In fact, it is really a wonder that there are as many serious 4x4 vehicles still being offered as there are.



My 2c: I think we (the community of 4wd folks) need to advocate for the reintroduction of a couple, and it would only have to be a couple, simple, utilitarian 4wd vehicles. Something along the lines of the stuff you can get overseas. The costs, you'd think, to Americanize a world platform shouldn't be that bad, and they'd probably have some real appeal for the commercial market. These models wouldn't have to be redesigned every couple years, either, which would reduce development cost.

[97 zj steve]

What a shame, they were really going down the right path with the diesel.

x2

[TheGillz]

Unfortunately, I think the choices for truly capable rigs off the lot will shrink and shrink.

[LilKJ]

x2

X3.... I'm soooooooooo glad I snagged one

[gabe]

It's not my intention to irk anybody here, but I haven't counted the grand as an off road rig since they got rid of the SFA, and of the top of my head I can only think of one vehicle that still has a solid front axle, the wrangler's.

[RedDog]

Frankly, I suspect the four door Wrangler has facilitated a number of potential lineup re-calculations in the new energy age.

Let's face it, if the diesel and even a V8 find their way onto the option list, say along with heated leather seats, etc., I'm not clear why anyone would be concerned with directional changes to the Grand Cherokee's focus.

[gary in ohio]

They need to something that gets better fuel mileage on their vehicles.
Besides the compass, most are getting 19-22mpg. Why cant they bring over the the CRD wrangler from the UK market.