Will the Jeep Compass concept car ever make it to production?
 The Toledo Blade ran an interested article on what the future may hold for the Jeep Compass, introduced last year at the North American International Auto Show. Here's a snippet:
The Jeep Compass concept was one of Chrysler’s auto show darlings a year ago, making its way from a Detroit debut to Paris and elsewhere worldwide.
Inspired by a performance rally car and built on a Toledo-made Liberty base, the Compass was targeted at so-called millennials, a group of young consumers outnumbering baby boomers.
Chrysler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche had told The Blade the Compass was one of the automaker’s strongest concepts at the 2002 North American International Auto Show; another executive later said a decision about its production may be made by the end of last year.
But the direction of the Compass appears to have veered.
Chrysler remained tight-lipped yesterday about the sport-utility vehicle’s future during media previews for this year’s 10-day Cobo Center show, which opens to the public Saturday. Union representatives for workers at Toledo Jeep Assembly haven’t heard the Compass mentioned for a couple of months.
"There’s really not much we can say right now," said DaimlerChrysler AG spokesman Max Gates. "We simply haven’t made a decision."
...snip...
The all-wheel-drive Compass is geared toward urban use with occasional jaunts on gravel or dirt paths. Its roof is seven inches lower and its body is a few inches shorter than the Liberty’s. The concept has two doors, but a production vehicle probably would have four because young buyers want space, an automaker executive has said. Be sure to check out the entire article.
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