Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler/Fiat CEO, rolls around the Detroit Auto Show with a posse. Seriously. He's got a body guard (one of whom I have a picture of as he stepped into my camera as I was shooting) an assistant and some other flunkies as well as a swarm of photographers / videographers / sonographers (ok, not really) following him around in case he happens to let fly with some juicy news.
And let fly he has. Shocking....
There are three big items credited to Sergio from this year's Detroit Auto show. Let's start with the truckiest: There is going to be a multipurpose Jeep vehicle in the near future "with something that they call a truck bed" reports pickuptrucks.com. He went further, discussing the Gladiator Concept, "There's a better than 50 percent chance that you'll get one. Regardless of what Ram says." Ram, of course, is Chrysler Co's Truck line so any other brand having a pickup could be seen as overlap.
But wait, there's more! After the jump there's more Marchionne talking about Grand Wagoneers and the death of a minivan.....
Next up is the 2013 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Yep. The next seven-seat Jeep product will ditch the Commander name and pick up the heritage GW title. This may have something to do with Marchionne's feelings on the Commander, "That car was unfit for human consumption. We sold some. But I don't know why people bought them." Tell us how you really feel...
The Grand Wagoneer will be priced higher than the Dodge Durango and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Finally, Marchionne said that Chrysler would pare down its minivan offerings to one. "We will have to look at the branding, but we are absolutely going to one minivan." The branding he's discussing is whether or not to call the van a Chrysler Town & Country or a Dodge Caravan. Dodge Caravan has the longer history, but the TnC outsells the Dodge and delivers more money to Chrysler. Tricky situation.
Oh, and expect a decision on a Nitro replacement within the next 40 days -- so, that would be the Chicago Auto Show.
firstwagon says:
01:25 PM, 01/12/11
"Dodge Caravan has the longer history, but the TnC outsells the Dodge and delivers more money to Chrysler. Tricky situation."
Seriously? In Canada the Caravan probably outsells the T&C by ten to one. It's rare to see a Town and Country but the Caravan was #5 on the top selling vehicles last year. Easy to see which to keep for our market. You don't make money on something that doesn't sell.
"This may have something to do with Marchionne's feelings on the Commander, "That car was unfit for human consumption. We sold some. But I don't know why people bought them." "
It wasn't that bad. The design was good, it was just let down by the details (like so many other Chrysler products under the DMercedes rule).
BTW..That Jeep pick up has been around for years, it would be nice if they would just bring it to market.
throwback says:
01:32 PM, 01/12/11
Sergio is always good for a laugh. I agree with him on the minivan and the Jeep Gladiator. Unless Ram is going to offer a small pickup, no the Dakota is not small, just smaller than the Ram, Jeep should offer one. It will be off-road biased so I don't see any issue with the Ram brand.
ptcdawg says:
01:37 PM, 01/12/11
Just build the Jeep Pickup.
93aero says:
02:14 PM, 01/12/11
It'll be interesting to see the Grand Wagoneer (especially with jeeps new ownership) and the Jeep Pickup....which really should have been produced when it was shown off an eternity ago!
moparbad says:
02:25 PM, 01/12/11
Another Sergio quote " At a roundtable discussion this morning at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, CEO Sergio Marchionne said Chrysler is capable of producing a diesel light-duty pickup truck, but that there’s no demand for it in the U.S. market.
"Do we have the technology to get it done? Absolutely yes. Do we have the engines to get it done? Absolutely yes," he said. "Is there a market for this? I don’t know.
"We can do it all," Marchionne said. "We have the engines, the know-how, because as you well know, Fiat is the repository of a huge amount of diesel know-how because of our industrial applications and even on the passenger car side. We’d love to do it, but the question is, will it sell?"
smilez says:
02:46 PM, 01/12/11
Am I asking too much to request a crew-cab version? I've got kids, the jump seats won't be big enough by the time this comes out, and I miss my truck and am a Jeep loyalist (except that truck thing, had an F-150 that had an untimely death due to an elk). Loved the truck, but it was BIG. A crew-cab Gladiator with the Pentastar (or Hemi...O.K., just dreaming) would be my dream vehicle, hands down.
In a few years, there will be NO American comnact/mid-sized trucks. That's just not right. Thank you Jeep.
And BTW, I own one of those so-called POS Commanders. I love it. Two things I don't like: gas mileage (it's a Hemi, I know better) and sight with the 3rd row seats up. They're not up often, so it's not that much of an issue. It goes anywhere, has a great ride, get-up-and-go power and great features. I don't need much else.
ed124c says:
02:46 PM, 01/12/11
Have I seen this Jeep pickup before? I don't remember, but it sure seems like something that Jeep should be selling. I don't like trucks, but this, somehow, has a really compelling look to it. Almost a patriotic thing, maybe. I just go all soft and mushy looking at it. I want to salute the flag and sing the national anthem. Build it, build it-- but only in that color. Well, maybe a dark blue would be OK, or a dark red-- maybe even a bright red--and, and.........
Sorry, I'm okay now.
bankerdanny says:
02:48 PM, 01/12/11
Interesting quote Moparbad. My response would be: create the market.
There was no market for the minivan until Chrysler created it. There was limited market for the SUV until the Cherokee and then the Explorer created it (for the record I am familiar with the 66-77 Bronco (I had one), and the Scout, and the Wagoneer, and they all were trucks first and foremost).
As gas prices rise again the opportunity to re-introduce the light truck and car buying public to the new, quieter and more powerful diesel engines has never been greater.
As far as the Commander goes, I see quite a few here in Chicago and I like them. I have no idea what they are like to drive, but I think they look great, but then I am a fan of the Cherokee and the Commander looks like a Cherokee on steroids.
lostboyz says:
04:00 PM, 01/12/11
There is no light duty diesel trucks in the US because under current regulation there would be so much extra equipment it would cost around 3-4k more than the comparable v8. That is why there is no market.
Call your congressmen not Sergio if you want one.
albook says:
08:52 PM, 01/12/11
So....A Durango with the Grand Cherokee front and selec-terrain? As awful as that may sound, I can dig it.
As for the minivan situation....they can't kill the Caravan! The only reason the T&C outsells it is because the T&C at least had a reasonably attractive interior, whereas the GC's was straight sh%t. And I haven't seen the new GC's interior, but the T&C's interior is just nice enough to compete on level with Honda and Toyota. So with it gone, the GC can have that upscale interior, and a true shot at once again being a segment leader. Heck, Sergio should just slap the Caravan's grille and badging on the T&C. And take off some of that chrome.
lostboyz says:
03:30 AM, 01/13/11
"but the T&C's interior is just nice enough to compete on level with Honda and Toyota"
Maybe we are looking at different cars, but the honda and toyota interiors are god awful. The T&C blows both of them out of the water.
The Chrysler group minivans have always been the segment leader in the US, 46% of sales last year.
powell_jr says:
05:15 PM, 01/13/11
Build the truck and they will come.
smilez says:
08:48 AM, 01/14/11
I come back everyday to look at that photo. I feel like a kid knowing Christmas isn't that far off.
And ed124c, yeah, this concept cam out about 5 years ago. Curious to see what changes will be made.
wfenwick says:
07:11 AM, 01/22/12
Concerning Jeep Gladiator...
Jeep-- Build it just like you described the concept car at the 2005 show, soft top, fold-able windscreen, locking front and rear transaxles, diesel engine, etc.... and give it some options so we can build it for how we are going to use it. The options list in recent years seems to consist of big stereo with lots of speakers or BIGGER stero with more speakers, or with or with cigarette lighter.. end of option list