2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited on 2040-cars

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Jeep Wrangler production in Toledo to nearly double by 2018

The Jeep Wrangler's future in Toledo, OH, is officially secure. FCA US announced plans on Thursday to spend $1.05 billion to retool the Wrangler factory and another site in Illinois to build Jeeps. The investment could add up to 1,000 jobs, and, according to The Detroit Free Press, allow Jeep to build as many as 450,000 Wrangler models in Toledo. FCA is investing $700 million to make over the Toledo North factory to build the next-generation Wrangler – a vehicle that's hotly anticipated by enthusiasts. FCA said this will add about 700 new jobs. The Wrangler factory is part of a multi-site complex in Ohio, and FCA said an announcement about the South factory will come later. Nearly two years ago, FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne touched off a firestorm by suggesting the Wrangler could leave Toledo, though plans to keep the iconic Jeep there quickly proceeded. Automotive News reports the new Wrangler will use some aluminum elements, run a turbo four-cylinder engine, and offer a diesel variant. Designers will also pay increased attention to aerodynamics, though maintain the Wrangler's familiar appearance. Additionally, FCA reportedly plans to build a Wrangler pickup in Toledo. That 450,000-vehicle threshold could potentially break down into 350,000 traditional Wrangler models, along with another 100,000 Wrangler-based pickup trucks. When the current Toledo plant was opened in 2005, Chrysler said its capacity was about 150,000 vehicles per year. Since then, that figure has increased to about 240,000 Wranglers yearly, and Jeep has no problem selling that many. FCA's factory in Belvidere, IL, gets $350 million for upgrades to produce the Jeep Cherokee, which moves there in 2017 from Toledo as part of a product shuffle. FCA builds the Dodge Dart and Jeep's Patriot and Compass in Belvidere. The automaker is killing the Dart and will replace the compact Jeeps with a single model next year. The moves are part of FCA's strategy to fortify the Jeep brand, which has posted healthy sales and enjoys a strong reputation around the world. Related Video:

BMW M850i Convertible, VW Tiguan and Easter Jeep Safari concepts | Autoblog Podcast #669

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. This week, they've been driving the BMW M850i xDrive Convertible and VW Tiguan. In the news, Peugeot isn't coming to the U.S. after all, Harley-Davidson has a CPO program, Jeep teased some Easter Safari concepts and Kia's got a big fire problem. Finally, they help a listener choose a replacement for a Nissan 350Z in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #669 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars We're Driving 2021 BMW M850i xDrive Convertible 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan News Peugeot's U.S. return officially canned as Stellantis doubles down on Alfa Romeo Harley-Davidson launches CPO program to entice younger buyers Jeep teases 'Magneto' and other concepts for Easter Jeep Safari Kia tells 380,000 more owners to park their cars outside due to fire risk Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: Green Podcasts BMW Jeep Kia Peugeot Convertible Coupe Crossover Motorcycle SUV Concept Cars Electric Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance

Jeep Wrangler Polar Edition coming to America

Jeep originally took the wraps off its Polar Edition Wrangler at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and at the time, we figured this would be a Europe-only affair. (Perfectly fine, since we US customers haven't exactly been lacking special edition Wrangler models over the years.) But now, and as Jeep says, just in time for winter, the automaker has announced that the ice cold Wrangler will be hitting North American showrooms in November.
Based on the Wrangler Sahara model, the Polar Edition can be had in either two- or four-door body styles, with a unique Hydro Blue paint job as the featured color. (Buyers can also opt for less-special Billet Silver and Bright White hues.) Other exterior enhancements include a body-colored hardtop, 18-inch gloss black wheels, the Powerdome (power bulge) hood, and unique decals all around the body.
But the Polar Edition isn't just about some paint and stickers. Jeep has fitted this Wrangler with a Dana 30 front axle and Dan 44 rear axle, as well as the Trac-Lok anti-spin electronic rear differential. Like all US-spec Wranglers, the Polar Edition uses Jeep's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, producing 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Both a six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmission are available.