 Random Notes: GM Has No Plans to Buy Jeep, 8 Inch Jeep, Wrangler Award, Willys Concept Photo
Posted by mike on 2001/2/8 23:00:00 (1361) reads
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 There's a lot of little stuff going on in the world of Jeep these days - here's just a taste...
To begin with, here's another photo of the all-new Jeep concept vehicle, the Jeep Willys. The concept Willys has a 1.6-liter, I-4 supercharged engine with 160 horsepower, a 4-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive. Currently, there are no plans for a production model Willys, although as history shows, some elements of the Willys will probably show up in future Jeeps. Edmunds.com has recently honored the 2001 Jeep Wrangler with its "Most Wanted Specialty SUV". For a complete list of awards won by 2001 Chrysler vehicles, click here. With all of rumors swirling around about the future of the Jeep product line, it's interesting to hear a high-level denial like the one being reported on Yahoo! Finance. Here's a portion of the article: The head of General Motors Corp.'s North American automotive operations denied rumors Wednesday the auto maker was interested in buying the Jeep brand from DaimlerChrysler AG. Some analysts had suggested the Chrysler unit of DaimlerChrysler AG could be forced to sell off assets to reverse a slide that created losses of $1.75 billion in the second half of last year. According to a published report, a rumor in European markets on Wednesday suggested GM would be interested in buying Jeep, which some analysts had valued at $5 billion. ``We're not planning on buying Jeep,'' said Ronald Zarrella, GM's North American president, during media previews for the Chicago Auto Show. Chrysler spokeswoman Lori McTavish said the rumor was ``absolutely not true.'' Finally, we're proud to break the news on new Jeep toys! Best-Lock Construction Toys has announced a full line of children's toys based on current and past Jeep models. Here's a snippet from the press release: Rugged. Roadworthy. Tough. Hardy. There's only one Jeep®. And in this case, the Jeep vehicle is eight inches tall. Best-Lock Construction Toys debuted a new line of construction block sets modeled in the shape of Jeep Wranglers, Cherokees and vintage Willys. The Jeep replicas are built to scale and are accurate down to the tiniest detail. ``For the first time, young boys and girls can 'build' the same Jeep that Mom and Dad drive,'' said Stephen Minsk, Best-Lock Construction Toys worldwide vice president of sales and marketing. ``We are proud to be associated with a timeless brand like Jeep that has such a reputation for strength and ruggedness the world over.'' The toys, which are sold for $9.99, $19.99, and $29.99, will be sold at major retailers nationwide. The block sets will come in 16 different Jeep models, and in different colors and styles such as pink, yellow, camouflage and safari. Similar to Best-Lock's popular military and construction lines of blocks, the Jeep toys will have pieces that are interchangeable with a child's existing block sets, even with other brands. In addition, the Jeep toys are in scale with its figures, unlike some other brands.
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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 Originally posted by: Colin here is my comment
If I could get a Willys like that I would have it tomorrow.
Bring it on Jeep.
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Ron A friend of mine, was recently at a car show in Minneapolis,Mn, and saw a concept of this willys. I have money set aside to purchase one ASAP. Does anyone know anything about it's future?
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Shawn After weeks of reading, I finally saw the Liberty with my own two eyes and can truly say I love it. The size, design, and option packages are perfect. I truly don't care about the Jeep history, the past is just that. There are too many redundant comments about loosing the Jeep hertiage. Most reactions on this site focus only on the offroader, forgetting about all those Grand Cherokee owners at the mall and Wrangler owners at college sororities. A Jeep owner is just that, and can be classified into millions of genres. Jeep has plenty of competition and needs these changes to remain a strong brand. It does not matter which automaker owns them; Jeep is an entity to itself and will always survive. Griff's arguments are reasonable because that is how he feels. He want a Jeep that is simple and rugged, and his passionate responses show that.... over and over. But I like what the Liberty has to offer and it fits my lifestyle in a snowy climate. I may not climb a mountain with my Jeep, but it tows my boat, gets me through 12 inches of snow, and halls all my weekend gear. But then that's the point of a utility vehicle: to perform multiple tasks well. And Jeeps do that well, for many people. And if readers question my brand loyality, I have owned five Jeeps; presently a 97 Laredo parked next to a 99 Land Rover ( which would have been a Grand if it didn't look like a minivan ).
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: rich Hey Griff!
What do you think of that comeback from KJ?
Do you think his spelling talents are matched
by his Jeep knowledge?
Rich
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: BulletBob Hello Jeep Fans,
GM could do well by Jeep and so could Ford, especially if they both structured the brand correctly.
And they'd both be nuts if they didn't make a pass at it if Daimler-Chrysler gets their rig in the dirt
real bad over an obviously failed and abysmal so-called 'merger and certain chunks of DC, such
as Jeep come onto the market.
I perceive that as with DC, where are the lines between Dodge and Jeep? the same would be a
concern about a Jeep/Ford or Jeep/Gm/Chevrolet combination. Perhaps it is a sad statement that the economics of auto making now requires a degree of homogenization so that a standalone
specialty brand such as Jeep can't really make it today. I think not.
IF DC does not realize the potential of the Jeep brand, perhaps a Ford or GM might have the
business acumen to do that very thing.
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Jeepworker Griff, It's good to know there are XJ fans like you, (helps pay my bills).But you really need to get over the whole Liberty thing.
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Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Griff Ouch I'm hurt. I say that as i wipe back my own tear and read my previous post that i am getting so much flack for. But anyways I said i like the old world charm AND going to the beach at Cancun. The word "and" means along with, I did not say Cancun has old world charm. Unless you consider locals trying to sell you half rate merchandise at premium price. Hmmmm... Half rate build at premium price... Wow if they aren't making little beaded necklaces they are making vehicles. But thats beside the point.
But I agree with Crazy Jeep and Bob on some stuff they said. Jeep has done quite the poor job of marketing to people like myself that think this is the pansiest SUV this side of the RAV-4. All I have seen is the KJ Renegade. Well if they aren't making half rate SUV's they are using names badges that used to have rugged simple SUV's behind them. Also I agree with Bob that Jeep wouldn't be around without all those mommy brush guard clad Jeep SUV's. But Jeep could and should have done a better job of remembering those who bought the CJ's and SJ's and told all of our friends and neighbors to buy one and then lifed them and decked them out with winches, ARB bumpers, lockers etc after thier tour of family duty. They could have catered to us more than keeping the 4x4 lever in favor of buttons or knobs or even worse don't have to think for yourself auto fourwheel drive. So thank you suburbia for buying your jeeps and carting around your 2.5 kids to soccer games to the grocery store and what not because you have finally got the car like Jeep that Jeepers of yester-year hoped would never get here. Oh and it looks like the TJ is next being replaced with the VJ. Oh what fun Wrangler-esque SUV's with IFS and Traction Control, just what i hope Jeep would graduate up to on the wrangler. LONG LIVE... all the flack i get for my post because it never stops to amaze me how diluted the average Jeeper has become compared to those of 20 years ago!!!
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Bob Also... let's not forget that it is all those
"Harry and Harriet Homeowners" who own Jeeps, and
not the hard-core off-roaders who have kept Jeep
alive these past few years. These are the folks
who are driving the design of all future
Jeeps—whether you like it or not.
If Jeep had to rely on only the hard-core
off-roaders for sales, they would have perished
long
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| Anonymous |
Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: CrazyJeep It absolutely amazes me how we keep returning to KJ bashing. And when the KJ bashing is over then we start bashing each other.
I saw the KJ, in the flesh, for the first time this weekend. Its different. I was VERY SAD to see that Jeep was not publicizing it any more than to put in on a turntable with a pretty woman hyping it over a mic every so often. What happened to the days when they showed the Jeep Jamboree videos in front of a TJ that was arched over a pile of rocks??? They did nothing to dispel the less capable rumors, that is for sure.
Has anyone seen the Commander?? Oh baby, I want one!!
I am going to say this, I don’t doubt that the KJ is AS CAPABLE as the XJ! Lets face it, Jeep has stuck their neck out on this one and they have tested it and the rags were there to record the testing. The hard core magazines don’t pussy foot their way around those articles, and from what I READ it CAN DO IT AS GOOD!! So I firmly believe that if you haven’t seen it perform for yourself, STOP JUDGING IT AS IF YOU CAN SEE THE FUTURE!!
To those XJ fans out there, I am proud of your XJ enthusiasm! I own one of those SQUARE headlight YJ’s! I think it looks pretty mean, I didn’t like the TJ when they returned to round lights, but it has seriously grown on me! Remember when the YJ’s were called “Yuppy Jeeps” Notice all the YJ’s on the trails lately? They are growing in numbers. History has shown that we may not like change, but in the past Jeep has ALWAYS DONE THEIR HOMEWORK!! Lets not forget when we all cried and pouted when they made the XJ a unibody….oh whoa was us!
Finally, I agree with the statement that more and more Jeeps are on the pavement as the substitutes for minivans and many young boys and girls get Wranglers for college or even high shool. Good for them! Cause I will NEVER own a minivan! Lets be Jeep fans, but lets do it in a way that does not shun our fellow Jeep fanatics!
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Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: JeepWorker KJ ,I agree with you, the Liberty is a true Jeep. But in the future,let us with some education (or at least spell check) try to convince the Griffs out there.
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Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: KJ is a true Jeep Griff you are a complete idiot. First with the believe that the KJ is less capable beside what every magazine including hardcore offroaders have said. And now second, Caucun and old world charm. Caucun is an american establish commerical Disneyland. A Taco Bell has more old world charm than Caucun. So much for your knowledge of tradition with anything
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Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Griff Well thank you JeepWorker, I am a proud owner. You can thank brand loyalty to Jeep owners like me and many of the others that have posted here that have owned more than one XJ, keeping them for their long hassel free lifetime. As you probably know since it seems you have probably read my other posts after reading your comment, I myself and possibly other previous and current Jeep owners are not excited about a less capable vehicle (dare I say truck) wearing a Jeep badge. That is why i have some what of a bad taste in my mouth when i think KJ. And Jeepworker, I hope for your sake that you are a KJ working person because since the XJ is gone the TJ might as well have its suitcases packed for good ole mexico. Home of cheap labor and cheap build quality. But hey the PT Crusier and the VW bug are built there and their cool, so lets move america's number one specialty SUV there because all unique vehicles come out of 3rd World Mexico. I like the old world charm and going to cancun for the beach but I wouldn't want one of my XJ's, or the Range Rover, or Excursion built there that I own. So go figure. JeepWorker you may be eating your own words in a year when you are the disgruntled american posting on this board telling us how DC has put you out of a job, just like DC put me out of a future XJ after 2001. Once again I could care less that they built the KJ, that's fine Jeep needs another vehicle, they didn't need a replacement. And yes it is a replacement, you can get that from the fact that everywhere other than america they call it the Cherokee. GASP?!?! Suprised, you shouldn't be they'll try to call it the Cherokee as soon as they do a redesign in 4 or 5 years. Long live the American Solid Axle Jeep!!!
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Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
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Originally posted by: Griff I think any auto manufacturer would be crazy to pass up buying Jeep if it is offered. Tell anyone you own a Jeep and they know exactly what it is. It is a easily recognizeable brand more so that GM's current 4x4 aquisition, AM General. So I think GM is just spooning out a bunch of junk when they say that they don't want Jeep. If GM wouldn't take em' Ford would. They want the market so bad that they are making a wrangler like SUV to compete head to head with the TJ. Of course we all know that the TJ will always be the number one specialty SUV. As for the little Lego Jeeps I'll be sure to buy a XJ one. Since i am such a XJ fan. Hopefully they don't have a KJ one, I wouldn't waste the blocks building it on such a weenie SUV. Long live the XJ!!
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