Would you pay $140K for a Jeep? FCA may be planning on it when it re-introduces the Grand Wagoneer in 2018.
How much would you be willing to pay for a fully loaded, full-size SUV? We’ve seen the new Bentley Bentayga push over the $250,000 mark, and there are several versions of the Range Rover not far behind. But a $140,000 Jeep?
The ute arm of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is getting close to the long-awaited revival of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and it’s apparently looking to move the full-size model significantly up-market compared to where the Jeep brand competes today.
How far up? “Pushing the car up to $130,000 to $140,000 may be possible,” Jeep brand boss Mike Manley tells Britain’s Auto Express, though he cautioned that, “We need to establish Grand Wagoneer in its own right first.”
The Wagoneer and its more upscale spin-off, the Grand Wagoneer, were at the top of the heap among American SUVs for nearly three decades. And ever since production ended in 1991, fans have been calling for the big ute’s return. A half-hearted attempt was made during the DaimlerChrysler days, but the Jeep Commander fell completely flat.
(FCA investing $1.48 billion into Detroit-area plant. Click Here for the story.)
With utility vehicle sales soaring – and largely providing the profits for the entire company – FCA decided it was finally time to bring back the Wagoneer itself. And there has been plenty of speculation as to what it will look like.
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is part of the product and plant shuffle that is part of the new labor deal.
From 1963 to 1991, American Motors and, subsequently, Chrysler, did little to change the big beast – which was the successor to the World War II-era Willys Jeep Station Wagon. Up to the very end, the Wagoneer variants retained the classic wood-look exterior. And few would be surprised if FCA offered a similar exterior option when the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer roll back into showrooms.
Beyond that, however, we can expect a very modern and lavishly equipped SUV, one that will share some key components with the recently launched Maserati Levante, the Italian marque’s first SUV. The Grand Wagoneer, however, will be larger, with room for seven and a reasonable amount of cargo space, according to inside reports.
And, in keeping with Jeep tradition, it will almost certainly come out of the factory with a Trail-Rated badge. While Jeep has been backing off a bit on off-roadability with some of its new, lower-end models, the Wagoneer and top-line Grand Wagoneer will all but certainly need to rival the likes of the Range Rover to retain credibility among up-market buyers.
(FCA expects Wagoneer to stand apart … literally. Click Here for the story.)
Considering the failure of the Jeep Commander – which was pulled from the market in 2010, why even bother? Because there is a surprisingly healthy market appetite for the full-size utility vehicles that have become, for many buyers, a substitute for a full-size luxury sedan. Among all of the U.S.-side brands in the FCA stable, meanwhile, Jeep is seen as the only one with the credibility to start pushing into the six-figure range. And considering that even decades-old Wagoneers can command $30,000 today, that would seem to buoy Jeep’s optimism.
“It’s an exciting nameplate to bring back,” Manley told Auto Express.
Realistically, the new base version will likely come in well below six figures, and it’s a question of whether even a fully loaded one will nudge over the $100,000 mark for now.
The other question is when the Jeep Grand Wagoneer will finally make it to showrooms. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne announced in 2011 the nameplate would be back two years later. Though it failed to materialize, the grand master plan Marchionne unveiled at a day-long media and analyst briefing in May 2014 indicated the Wagoneer would finally show up in 2015. Wrong again. The latest plan is to have it back for the 2018 model-year.
(Jeep climbing to another record sales year. For details, Click Here.)
Expectations are growing for the unveiling of a production version early next year, or at least a near-ready concept model. Might it be on top for the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit? Stay tuned as we press our own sources for more details.