Chrysler will produce a new high-line SUV for Maserati based on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Auto executives are normally guarded about future product plans but Chrysler/Fiat Chief executive officer Sergio Marchionne let several cats out of the bag during a discussion with a small group of reporters from the U.S and Canada, during the Detroit Auto Show.
Marchionne confirmed he has approved a rumored plan to produce a new high-end luxury sport-utility vehicle for Fiat’s Maserati brand that will use the new Jeep Grand Cherokee’s underlying platform.
The Maserati SUV will be produced at the Jefferson North Assembly plant in Detroit, alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee and its sibling ute, the Dodge Durango.
Marchonne had earlier hinted he might turn to the Jefferson North plant to build a new Maserati ultra-luxury SUV – one of a variety of projects that will share platforms and components between the trans-Atlantic partners. The decision has now been made to go ahead with the project.
The Dodge Caravan will be redesigned and downsized, according to Marchionne.
The engine for the new Maserati SUV will come from Ferrari, the Italian executive said. But other specifics have yet to be revealed, including the timing of the project.
Marchionne dropped another potential bombshell, especially for family buyers. Chrysler has been pushing to maintain its lead in a shrinking minivan market, but the executive said he didn’t believe Chrysler needs two full-size minivans. So, a shake-up is planned. The high-line Chrysler Town & Country will remain a full-size minivan but the Dodge Caravan will be given a radical makeover and reduced in size to create a new niche.
There are signs that buyers, worried about fuel prices might be looking for smaller people-movers. Currently, however, the only offering in the segment is the Mazda5. Ford plans to enter the micro-van segment in 2012 with the launch of the new C-Max.
Marchionne also said he is looking at ways to add a small, light-duty pickup truck to the Jeep line. The truck could be based on the Wrangler, or might adopt a unibody design, which would eventually replace the Dodge Dakota. That “tweener” truck currently costs as much to build as a full-size Ram, Marchionne noted.
Chrysler also is pushing ahead with plans to replace the Jeep Liberty with a new crossover model based on a Fiat platform. The Liberty is scheduled for replacement within the next two years.
In other product news, Chrysler also plans to introduce a new compact car to replace the Dodge Caliber. The new vehicle will be unveiled at next year’s North American International Auto Show. The Caliber was designed to be a rental car, he said. The next generation of compacts from Chrysler will appeal to retail customers, he said, a potentially much more profitable market segment.