Posted on 09/04/2020 7:15:14 AM PDT by Red Badger
Key Points:
Fiat Chrysler’s long-awaited Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV will top $100,000 when it arrives in showrooms next year.
The only other Jeep to top six figures is the brand’s current Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, a high-performance version of the SUV with Fiat Chrysler’s Hellcat V8 engine.
The company debuted a concept version of the Grand Wagoneer as a preview of the upcoming luxury SUV on Thursday.
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DETROIT – Fiat Chrysler’s long-awaited Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV will top $100,000 – likely making it the brand’s highest priced vehicle as it attempts to compete against the Cadillac Escalade, Land Rover Range Rover and others.
The new large SUV will be the stablemate of another model called the Wagoneer, which will start at about $60,000 when the vehicles go on sale next year, according to Christian Meunier, global president of Jeep. The six-figure price tag for the Grand Wagoneer will be for a fully loaded model, he said.
“It’s clearly the return of a premium American icon,” Meunier said during a media event ahead of Thursday’s unveiling of a concept version of the resurrected SUVs. “Wagoneer will expand to become a portfolio of vehicles that will redefine American premium while delivering a unique customer experience.”
The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer names were previously used by Jeep for large SUVs from 1963 until 1991. The company had promised to resurrect the Wagoneer name for nearly a decade as a way to better compete in the highly profitable large SUV segment.
The SUVs will be offered in two lengths and compete in the mainstream and luxury SUV segments, Meunier said. It’s a similar strategy to how General Motors, the industry leader in large SUVs, sells its vehicles across the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands.
The only other Jeep to top $100,000 is the current Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, a low volume, high-performance version of the SUV with Fiat Chrysler’s Hellcat V8 engine.
It’s unclear whether the Grand Wagoneer will be a separate model or a high-end version of the Wagoneer, which was discontinued in 1983. The company declined to provide additional details about how the vehicles will be positioned. It’s possible the Grand Wagoneer will be a premium version of the Wagoneer, as GM’s Denali trim is for its GMC brand.
“We see significant opportunity for Wagoneer as a premium extension of the Jeep brand,” said Trevor Dorchies, a Fiat Chrysler spokesman. “Jeep is unquestionably the foundation of Wagoneer, but Wagoneer will go beyond that into more premium segments.”
The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be produced at the automaker’s Warren Truck plant in suburban Detroit. Grand Wagoneer concept
The Grand Wagoneer concept represents the future design and technology of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs. Concept vehicles often also set a new design direction for the brand overall.
Meunier said “a lot of things” on the concept will make it into the production versions of the vehicles next year. The three-row concept pays tribute to its heritage while featuring modern designs as well as new technologies and displays on the vehicle’s interior.
“We strived for a level of premium executive that we’ve never done as a company,” said Ralph Gilles, head of design for Fiat Chrysler.
On the exterior, the SUV has large windows that form a greenhouse around the vehicle, which was a distinguishable feature of the original Grand Wagoneer. It also includes classic Jeep design elements with modern twists, including the brand’s traditional seven-slotted grille with lights in between the slots as well as a headlight-to-headlight light bar above them.
The seven-passenger concept vehicle is powered by a plug-in hybrid electric system, a nod to the brand’s plans to electrify every Jeep nameplate by 2022. Meunier declined to comment if such a powertrain would be available on the vehicles next year. Tech-savvy, teak wood interior
Unlike the original Grand Wagoneer, wood paneling – a well-known characteristic of the former SUV – is not featured on the sides of the concept. However, Fiat Chrysler designers did include teak wood in the vehicle’s headlights, roof tie downs and interior, which resembles a digital cockpit more than a traditional Jeep.
On the inside of the vehicle, wood is included on the doors, dash and center control panel. The front interior of the vehicle includes four screens, including a first-ever 10.25-inch passenger screen in an SUV, according to Fiat Chrysler.
The passenger screen features privacy film as to not distract the driver, officials said.
As a nod to its manufacturing home and the brand’s headquarters, the Grand Wagoneer concept’s full-pane glass roof features a map of Detroit and the surrounding area.
For audio, the Grand Wagoneer concept’s McIntosh audio system features 23 custom-designed speakers connected to a 24-channel amplifier.
Wrangler 4xe
Jeep also unveiled a new plug-in hybrid electric version Thursday of its flagship Wrangler SUV.
The hybrid still has an electric powertrain in addition to a traditional internal combustion engine. It is the first of its kind for Jeep in the U.S. The vehicle will feature a “4xe” badge, a play on Jeep’s reputation as a 4x4 off-road brand.
The 2021 Wrangler 4xe is capable of nearly 400 miles on a single charge and tank, including up to 25 miles of pure-electric driving, according to officials. When not in electric mode, the vehicle is powered by 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
It is expected to begin production at a plant in Toledo, Ohio, in December, followed by availability in U.S. showrooms shortly after that as well as Europe and China by early 2021.
They should stick with what they know. My Wrangler is awful for long distance comfort. It doesn’t corner well and the steering is rough. Nevertheless, it has a purpose. I would never associate or trust the Jeep name with luxury comfort.
I had 3 of them back in the day and I loved them!! It went anywhere, with or without the boat
My neighbor back in the 80’s had one.
It was constantly in the dealer’s shop for something....................
IF I have to pay that much for a Jeep-—it better come with the best looking, most virile Marine ever in uniform & I better get to keep him as long as I keep the vehicle.
Fair warning:::
My two current vehicles: One longer than 38 years...
The other over 34 years :) :)
Just Everybody Elses Parts, the 69 had a 327 Chevy, the 72 had a buick 350, the 75 had an AMC 360. I was my own mechanic back then but had very little problems with all of them
I'm married, unfortunately..............
the 72 had a buick 350
I had a 73 Buick Century 2-Door with a 350....................
$100,000 for starters. Only rappers will be seen driving them.
Like many cars you see there will be scratches and dents on the corners soon after purchasing.
So will people who make payments.
Cant imagine it. Have not had a car payment in decades.
For disclosure, I have the redesigned Jeep Wrangler with the turbo 2.0 Hurricane engine assisted by Etorque. It is well powered for the design purpose, but has limited tow capacity due to suspension plus high center of gravity. The drivetrain otherwise could support perhaps five to six thousand pounds of tow ability. It is rated for 5000#’s tow capacity in the European market.
The Wagoneer looks like a bloated Durango, what with three row seating for seven. Would guess for an added half to three-quarter ton over a Wrangler, which is a four seater with comfort, five if you are on really good terms. Maybe will sell as a novelty, as it sports a Jeep badge. Equipped with the two liter turbo engine, it will definitely need the parallel hybrid battery driven electric system to pull away from a standing start.
The Wrangler 2.0 engine is good for 270 #feet of torque plus 70 #ft electric short-term initial acceleration assist. If given a somewhat similar capacity 48 volt system adapted from a Ram Hemi Etorque, add a possible 90 to 130 #feet of oomph getting off the starting line.
In the case with a twenty-five mile range battery pack, my vote is for an electric motor system much like a Toyota Prius, with a direct input to the transmission. This provides for short range pure electric functionality without involving the engine. Do not know if the small engine can easily support those electrical numbers, thus that torque assist for stoplight acceleration. The electric motor probably does double duty as the charging source for the battery pack—Lithium battery system under the floor pan?
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