2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited on 2040-cars

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Chrysler's Jefferson North plant builds 5-millionth SUV [w/video]

Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant opened in 1992 for production of the first Jeep Grand Cherokee, but in the subsequent years, the Detroit plant has gone on to produce some of the company's biggest SUVs including the Jeep Commander and Dodge Durango. Earlier this week, the plant produced its five-millionth SUV, which, fittingly, was a Grand Cherokee.
Celebrating the plant's five-millionth unit, the silver 2014 Grand Cherokee was promptly donated to the USO. In addition to this milestone SUV, Chrysler also had a near-perfect 1993-95 ZJ Grand Cherokee on hand for the photo op. Scroll down for the Chrysler press release as well as a video showing some of the speeches from the celebration.

Experience Jeep's 75th Anniversary at Easter Jeep Safari | AutoblogVR

It may not have been known as a Jeep just yet, but it was all the way back in 1941 that the very first Willys MB quarter-ton 4x4 rolled down the assembly line in Toledo, Ohio. That General Purpose American military machine would go on to become one of the most recognizable vehicles in the world. And the name Jeep, which was adopted for the off-roader by soldiers in World War II, has been famous ever since. In the 75 years since that first military Jeep was born, the brand has built a sterling reputation for off-road prowess. Jeep's range-topping vehicle, the Grand Cherokee, bears almost no resemblance to its military forebears. But that doesn't mean it's not ready to leave the pavement and get dirty. See what we mean in our latest Autoblog VR episode. That wasn't the only Jeep vehicle we took for a spin while celebrating the brand's 75th anniversary at the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. Jeep fans have been salivating over the prospect of a pickup truck for years, and the company has finally confirmed that it's coming as a 2018 model. It will be built at Jeep's spiritual home in Toledo, Ohio, the same city that spawned the company's military roots. Even though Jeep's Crew Chief Concept isn't the actual pickup that will go into production, it's still an awesome ride, and we were happy our virtual-reality camera gear could capture it in its natural habitat. Each week, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll preview them here on Autoblog, but for the full immersive experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too! Jeep Driving Truck SUV Off-Road Vehicles Videos VR Original Video virtual reality 360video

Baby Jeep to join Renegade in FCA's plan for new Italian-built models

FCA is boosting its European production, introducing new models that will be built in currently under-utilized manufacturing facilities. Among the new models is a new small Jeep, smaller than the current Renegade, as Automotive News reports. FCA's Mike Manley mentioned the entry-level Jeep model earlier this year, also saying that the vehicle is targeted to European and possibly Latin American customers; in the summer, Autocar placed the launch date in 2022. The new "baby" Jeep would be made in the same factory in Pomigliano, Italy, as the small Fiat Panda, which is a top seller in Italy. The current generation Panda was introduced in 2011; if it gets a replacement in 2022, it could possibly share a platform with the Jeep model — or, the Jeep could be an eventual outright replacement for the Panda. One of Fiat's earlier core products, the Punto hatchback, was canned in August, and that production capacity will be used to make the Jeep Compass instead, at the Renegade-producing Melfi factory in southern Italy. The Compass has not previously been built in Europe. The Fiat model portfolio would be shrunk to just the 500 model family and the Panda — the 500 would also be FCA's key electric vehicle offered in Europe. It is not yet clear whether the electric 500 would be made in Turin, Italy, or in Poland; Turin might also get a Giardiniera-badged wagon version of the refreshed 500. As for the Alfa Romeo brand, it is set to gain an even bigger SUV model than the Stelvio, based on the Maserati Levante's platform. The Levante's sales have suffered recently in China, but Maserati does have light in the horizon: The Alfieri 2+2 grand tourer is still in the cards, with a launch expected for 2020 and both a convertible and an electrified version planned to follow. The Alfieri would be made in Modena, Italy, according to Automotive News' sources. None of these plans namedrop the storied Lancia brand, which has been shrunk to just the Ypsilon hatchback, based on the same platform as the current 500 and Panda. Despite that, the Ypsilon was again the second-bestselling car in Italy after the Panda in October. It is unlikely that FCA will be able to ignore this, but it is just as unlikely that any development money will be afforded to come up with a replacement for the Ypsilon, which is as similarly old as the Panda. Perhaps official announcements expected on Thursday will also clarify what will happen to Lancia.