Watch the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Come to Life in the Detroit Assembly Complex

This is no ordinary plant – not only is this facility the first new automotive assembly plant that has been built in Motor City in the past 30 years, but it came together relatively quickly, in only 2 years. Back in 2019, the company officially announced it would be investing $1.6 billion in expanding and modernizing the city’s well known Mack site. The existing plant had been around for almost 100 years, and its automotive-related history began when Chrysler purchased the property, in the 1950s. In the 1990s, this is where the Dodge Viper was built, then the Mack engine and the following Mack engine II were produced, until 2012, when production was halted.

With this new investment, the 2 buildings that were already on site were converted, and 2 new facilities were added, all in less than 2 years. The 3 million square feet Mack site now consists of 3 main production facilities, the Body Shop, the Paint Shop and the General Assembly.

The new generation Jeep Grand Cherokee L begins its assembly process in the Body Shop, also known as Body in White. This production phase takes around 2 hours to be completed, and a total of 578 robots perform detailed measurements, to make sure that the welding is flawless. Then, the paint process is completely automated, with robots applying the first layer of corrosion protection, the sealer, the primer, and the base paint coat. Applying the clear coat and the final check for any imperfections are the last steps that give all Jeeps a long-lasting finish.

Lastly, the former Mack Engine I building is where the vehicle components are installed, in 3 stages, from trim to final validation.

After such a long and remarkable history in the automotive industry, it’s a good thing that the Mack site is active again. And, it looks like the new Detroit Assembly Complex’s history will be forever linked to the first Jeep Grand Cherokee with seven-passenger seating.