Photo: Jeep
Remember the late Sergio Marchionne? How about the first time he promised us the revival of the Grand Wagoneer? At the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the previous head of Chrysler said “you’ll see it in January 2013.”
I’ll give you a minute to stop laughing. The LOLs will turn into weeping, though, because Jeep has gingerly mentioned that the Grand Wagoneer we’ve been expecting for more than nine years (!!!) is going to be… wait for it… just a concept.
“Grand Wagoneer Concept & Jeep Wrangler 4xe Reveal” is how the Facebook page for the reveal event is titled, and that’s insulting to say the least. Every single teaser material so far – be it photo or video – didn’t mention a concept but a “pre-production model.” In automotive industry jargon, those are very different things.
As ever, Fiat Chrysler is playing the waiting game like there’s no tomorrow. Or no other full-size SUV with premium characteristics in the case of the Grand Wagoneer. The body-on-frame leviathan with Ram 1500 underpinnings and an independent rear suspension will compete against the likes of the GMC Yukon, which means that pricing will start at more than $50,000 for the entry-level grade.
As opposed to the Wagoneer, it remains to be seen if the Grand Wagoneer will tread on Cadillac’s and Lincoln’s toes. It wouldn’t be surprising if that happened, though, because $100k utility vehicles aren’t uncommon in this day and age. The market loves this type of SUV despite the horrendous resale value. Lest we forget, Jeep also features a rather poor reliability record compared to GM and FoMoCo.
Both the Grand Wagoneer Concept and Wrangler 4xe are going to be unveiled online on September 3rd, next Thursday, at 9:00 am EDT. If you were wondering what 4xe stands for in the case of the off-road utility vehicle, that’s Jeep for plug-in hybrid. But as opposed to the Renegade and Compass, the Wrangler with the 4xe suffix integrates the electric motor into the transmission rather than the rear axle.
As a brief refresher, the Wagoneer 4xe and Grand Wagoneer 4xe have also been confirmed – indirectly – by a UAW document. Look forward to the newcomers arriving at U.S. dealerships next summer at the earliest for the 2022 model year.
“Grand Wagoneer Concept & Jeep Wrangler 4xe Reveal” is how the Facebook page for the reveal event is titled, and that’s insulting to say the least. Every single teaser material so far – be it photo or video – didn’t mention a concept but a “pre-production model.” In automotive industry jargon, those are very different things.
As ever, Fiat Chrysler is playing the waiting game like there’s no tomorrow. Or no other full-size SUV with premium characteristics in the case of the Grand Wagoneer. The body-on-frame leviathan with Ram 1500 underpinnings and an independent rear suspension will compete against the likes of the GMC Yukon, which means that pricing will start at more than $50,000 for the entry-level grade.
As opposed to the Wagoneer, it remains to be seen if the Grand Wagoneer will tread on Cadillac’s and Lincoln’s toes. It wouldn’t be surprising if that happened, though, because $100k utility vehicles aren’t uncommon in this day and age. The market loves this type of SUV despite the horrendous resale value. Lest we forget, Jeep also features a rather poor reliability record compared to GM and FoMoCo.
Both the Grand Wagoneer Concept and Wrangler 4xe are going to be unveiled online on September 3rd, next Thursday, at 9:00 am EDT. If you were wondering what 4xe stands for in the case of the off-road utility vehicle, that’s Jeep for plug-in hybrid. But as opposed to the Renegade and Compass, the Wrangler with the 4xe suffix integrates the electric motor into the transmission rather than the rear axle.
As a brief refresher, the Wagoneer 4xe and Grand Wagoneer 4xe have also been confirmed – indirectly – by a UAW document. Look forward to the newcomers arriving at U.S. dealerships next summer at the earliest for the 2022 model year.
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