here is my comment
I have pretty much given up on DC. I'm afraid what we think a Jeep is will soon be a thing of the past. I like the Eagle Idea, and wish DC would even listen to some of their Dealers. Some have an idea of what a Jeep is. Hopefully the Wrangler will survive with out making in to wimpy in the future because when that happens Jeep is DONE,

Look out, the sky is falling. Jeez, lighten up, Jeep has survived several changes in ownership and highs and lows in popularity over the decades, I think it can survive a "soft roader". At the very least, wait to see it and how it sells before you proclaim that DC is killing Jeep.

Jeep needs to keep up with (and beat) the compatition at their own game or they WILL surely fail as a company. Always staying with the status quo will get you jack squat.

Actually DC has been doing a number on Mercedes as well. They used to be know for the ultra-high level of quality, design and dependability (in addition to going fast-a good point). I used to own one. The parts were like fine works of art. Now Hyundai has a better reliability record for their SUV than the Mercedes SUV. That is sad.

I've seen this little remark posted before, but it fits so well....

It's a Jeep thing, DC doen't understand!!!

The idea about bringing back the Eagle name is excellent!!! Why don't you work for DC? Too smart maybe. :)

Anyway, the Eagle brand would be a great fit for these new "cross-over" cars, trucks, whatever they are... and would be great competition in the market place for Subaru without deminishing the Jeep name.

I wonder if we'll start seeing Mercedes cars that are not cabable of driving fast on the Autobaun? Why do you need to cruise at 120MPH in the US? Why does a Mercedes have to be capable or doing this????? Because that's what Merceds is!!! Get it DC? Same applies to Jeep and off-roading, if it cannot off-road it's not a Jeep, PERIOD! (IE: Compass) When will these corporate idiots realize this and stop killing the Jeep name.

This isn't an "article", it's a section of the p-m site that is regularly updated with the latest information. The Dodge Durango information is relatively up-to-date and the Corvette info is up to date. The Compass is coming, as are new "baby jeeps" based on the same platform as the Liberty.

Regardless of your opinion on the Compass, this article is almost a year old. Although the spy photo page (http://www.popularmechanics.com/cgi-bin/spy.pl?cat=det) has been updated occasionally, the actual Compass and Baby Jeep info has remained unchained for many many months, all of it old info and much of it no longer acurate. Not to say that the Compass and Baby Jeep are not still on their way, I just think they may look and drive differently than most think, should they ever show up.

Michael

here is my comment

It's too bad that real off-road vehicles are being phased out much like the muscle cars of the late sixties and early seventies. Remember the lates seventies and early eighties (terrible muscle cars!)?

Jeep wants cheap vehicles to build huh?

The XJ was very inexpensive. So is the Wrangler and so would have been the Dakar.

What's sad is that Jeep used to be very inovative and it's ahead of its time with the Grand Wagoneer, XJ, and Grand Cherokee. Now, DC is letting Jeep crumble. GM sees these and is going to fill the gap with the H3 and H4.

Around 30 years ago Chrysler was almost dead. The U.S. Govt bailed them out then they almost died again, only to be bailed out again by Daimler. It would have been best for Chrysler to die 30 years ago then AMC could have sold Jeep to Ford or GM.

There are so many inovative ideas that can bring Jeep $$$ such as 4-door pickups, regular cab pickups, cross-over SUVs, full size SUVs, 4-door Wranglers, etc.

I wonder who will be next in the bailing out of Chysler and their bad business decisions.

Well said. Those are great ideas! I especially
like the hard core truck and of course, Dakar
ideas......

Very good point MalcomXJ. I’m not against Jeep branching out, but don’t do it with the Jeep name. When Jeep no longer had to be ‘Rubicon tested’, I became worried. Now here is an idea (and I think many have said this before):

DC should resurrect the Eagle brand name, and let that be a subsidiary of Jeep. Go back and make Jeeps be Rubicon tested, and let the Eagle brand be the ‘Rescue Ready’ vehicles. DC could state the Eagle brand is engineered by Jeep or something to that fact that makes the Eagle brand different than others. Place the Liberty, Compass and the Chrysler Pacifica in the Eagle brand. (The Pacifica looks lost in the Chrysler line).

The Jeep brand would consist of the solid axle Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. Expand the Wrangler with the Scrambler and Dakar. In addition, design a new ‘Industrial strength’ full size pick-up truck and add this to the Jeep brand. To top this off, let Jeep engineer a Military/Industrial version of the Jeep line that can be used for commercial and military sales. Essentially Jeep could complete with Hummer and provide an alternate to customers looking for the Industrial strength vehicle.

What I would like to see is basically maintain the original Jeep image and augment the line without demeaning what Jeep stands for. Customers have less confusion since for example, if they want a true solid off-road capable vehicle; they go to the Jeep line. If they need more ride comfort but still want a better SUV than non-Jeeps they can look to the Eagle line. No longer is the Dakar looked as taking sales away from the Liberty, but the Dakar now can be sold along side the Liberty.

Oh well, it’s fun to dream. Sadly, it seems like the auto industry thinks everyone just wants soft rides now. Not that the Chevy S-10 is any great truck, but GM is replacing these with the new Colorado mid-size truck. Oddly, the Colorado can only tow 4000 pounds, and the biggest engine is only a 5-cylinder beast (basically, they sliced off one of the cylinders from the in-line 6 GM makes). GM’s answer is that most people don’t tow with their trucks.

"If this smaller non rubicon type car and suv can bring people into the jeep line then thats a good thing."

Why is this a good thing? The prime reason many of us are Jeepers is because they've produced capable off-roaders (or vehicles that make a good base upon which to build a capable off-roader). Take that away, and there's little reason for an enthusiast community. I, for one, am not a fan of the brand because it's popular or unpopular. The reason for Jeep's continued existence is that it's produced niche vehicles that do the job. Take that capability away and you're left with a brand that is little different than Subaru... and I just can't get excited about Subaru.

They're taking an enthusiast brand and diluting it. Pure and simple.

The obvious response I hear to this is "if they don't sell a million cars a year, there won't be a Jeep brand." Amazing to think they haven't built a million cars a year and have managed to prosper over forty years in the consumer market with utility and capability (sarcasm).

When the time comes in the near future when you can't walk into a dealer lot and buy a Wrangler it'll be too late. The brand as we know and love it won't exist. Imagine if Chevrolet built a Corvette minivan or a Corvette version of the Geo Prism. They'd sell a million, but completely erase the brand identity.

Well its an interesting article. DC is either shooting themselves in the foot or they are much more cleaver than many think they are. If this smaller non rubicon type car and suv can bring people into the jeep line then thats a good thing. I guess their hopes are then they will move on up to the offroad line of products or add a second vehicle etc. I for one own 2 grand cherokees and would buy another but the compass looks interesting to me. I would not mind owning one for my job which requires much driving. I guess its a wait and see....

Baby Jeeps or a wussed out Liberty = Not good