 New Scrambler Not Dead Yet , Jeep Commentary |
We may see a new Scrambler - just not yet.
From an article at WardsAuto.com:
A new version of the Scrambler no longer will be slotted into Jeep’s lineup this year, but that doesn’t mean a sport/utility-truck (SUT) project is dead.
“I wouldn’t rule it out at all,” says Craig Love, vice-president-activity vehicle product team, Jeep. “There are 4-wheel-drive SUTs in Jeep’s history and there could be in Jeep’s future.”
Love points to past iterations of the Scrambler and the long-gone Comanche pickup as being integral to the brand’s identity. And the Scrambler’s likely platform, a stretched version of the Wrangler’s, just made its commercial debut underpinning the 4-door Wrangler Unlimited.
Chrysler Group is looking to grow the Jeep lineup, at the urgings of CEO Dieter Zetsche, but has had some difficulty putting its finger on the right product.
“We think the Jeep brand can grow,” Love says. “What we cannot do is badge-engineer something and call it a Jeep when it’s not a Jeep.”
Check out the entire article here.
Commentary By Jerry Flint: "Send Us More Jeeps"
Forbes.com is running an excellent bit of commentary by Jerry Flint (a long-time auto industry reporter). Here's a snippet:
In some ways, it appears that DaimlerChrysler's Jeep division has lost its direction. A flood of newer products has squeezed its market share, and its reputation has been tarnished by reliability problems and massive discounting.
...snip...
Sales, though down from the 554,000 peak in 1999, aren't bad considering the competition. Jeep's 441,000 total from last year is larger than the total for many SUV rivals, including BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Cadillac.
...snip...
But the bigger news is Jeep's planned entry into two new market segments. One model in the works will carry the Jeep name but won't have the great off-road ability of today's Jeeps. This new vehicle is rumored to be a more affordable offering, but by giving up some off-road capabilities it might have better on-road manners.
The other all-new model will have the traditional off-road capability. Who knows, maybe it will be a super-macho truck--something to compete against General Motors' Hummer. The Jeep Rescue show vehicle may be a hint as to what to expect from this model.
Be sure to check out this very good article - we "snipped" a whole bunch of interesting tidbits.
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| Anonymous | Posted: 1969/12/31 18:00 Updated: 1969/12/31 18:00 |
 Originally posted by: Lenny NicholsThe "4 door Wrangler Unlimited"???? I thought it was a 2-door model with a tailgate.
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