Jeep is to expand its model offering with new small and large SUVs. This will see a new small, B-segment model which will take to the road in 2013 or 2014 while the premium segment will see the return of the Grand Wagoneer name.
Mike Manley, the Jeep’s British-born global brand chief, said that both newcomers present big opportunities for the iconic brand.
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He said: “The B SUV segment is going to continue to grow over the next few years particularly in Europe and Asia and a product in this segment will also help us meet our targets to reduce weight and emissions.”
The small Jeep, for which the company has yet to confirm a name – although Jeepster is a favourite among some pundits – will be based on a platform jointly developed with partner Fiat.
Manley said: “The vehicles we develop on this platform will have their own distinct identity. It is important that we maintain the Jeep DNA.”
At the top end, the Grand Wagoneer will arrive around 2014 or 2015 with the US and the Middle East as key markets.
Manley added: “The premium market for SUVs is still extremely important in the US and we need to take Jeep back into that segment. We will be working hard to make sure this can compete with the best in terms of engines, ride and handling as well as interiors.
“We will sell it in Europe although we have not decided on right hand drive production [including the UK] as yet.”
Editor’s note: According to website Jalopnik: “The Jeep Wagoneer was one of the earliest sport utility vehicles, produced from 1963 to 1991. It was noteworthy for not only being the first luxury 4×4, but also for being in production for more than 28 years with little more than minor mechanical changes. Those 28 years amounted to the longest continuous automotive production run, on the same platform, in US automotive history.”
