There's been no shortage of speculation about future Jeep product, most of it revolving around the next-generation Wrangler. Nearly every component, from the wheels to the windshield and from the engine to the axles has been fodder for the rumor mill. Today at the New York auto show, Jeep boss Mike Manley confirmed what we thought all along: The next generation Wrangler will maintain its ladder frame construction. When questioned if an aluminum body would fit into the equation, Manley replied, "it can be done," but wouldn't further elaborate.
Where the Wrangler will be built is still a question without an answer. Set to debut for the 2017 model year, the current school of thought is that if the Wrangler body goes aluminum, it'll need to move production from its longtime home in Toledo, Ohio, to a facility optimized for working with the alloy. Meanwhile, the city of Toledo is doing everything in its power, including prepping a large parcel of land located directly adjacent to the current Wrangler facility, to make sure production doesn't stray from the T-Town borders. (Toledo also assembles the current Jeep Cherokee.)
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As for the Grand Wagoneer, we haven't heard much about its development since the maker mentioned it at the 2014 FCA Investor day almost a year ago. Fans anticipating its return will be glad to here that Manley says the flagship SUV is 100-percent on track to be ready for its debut in the 2018 model year. The Grand Wagoner will sit above the Grand Cherokee in the lineup, give Jeep its first three-row offering since the ill-fated Commander, and fulfill Sergio Marchionne's wish to have a true Range Rover competitor in the FCA portfolio. While Manley didn't offer any specifics regarding challenges of the Grand Wagoneer's development, he did say the Wagoneer program was one of the most exciting projects he's worked on during his tenure at Jeep.
-from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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