Jeep Family Cars

Hennessey is at it again with another demented tuning creation, this time for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Apparently, the Texas-based tuner isn’t satisfied with an SUV that already boasts 707 horsepower. So in keeping with its identity as a creator of tuning programs that border on insanity, Hennessey dropped the mother lode on the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, turning it into a 1,200-horsepower monster that’s capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in a jaw-dropping 2.3 seconds on its way to a quarter-mile time of 9.66 seconds @ 145 mph.

Hype is building for the upcoming Jeep pickup, the first such model to come from the brand in three decades. We’ve pieced together some of the basics from spy shots and rumors, but now we’re getting a much better handle on what to expect thanks to a recently leaked memo sent to FCA dealers, with the really big news including a confirmation that Jeep will pull the sheets on its new pickup at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 28th!

The much-rumored Wrangler-based pickup truck from Jeep is just around the corner. The utility vehicle that will likely mark the return of the Scrambler name after more 30 years will make its global debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.

You don’t want to mess with the Hennessy-tuned Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, not when it has 1,200 horsepower to throw at you. If there are some brave souls who are willing to try to take down this Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, let this video of the SUV getting tested by the folks at Hennessey serve as a warning on what you’re getting yourselves into. Despite weighing 5,300 pounds, this 1,200-horsepower Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds on its way to posting a quarter-mile time of 9.66 seconds at 145.9 mph. Still think you can this beast on? You’re more than welcome to try.

FCA is one of the slowest groups to move towards electrification. Currently, it has got just 3 cars under its umbrella which are anywhere close to electrification. Nevertheless, FCA announced the production of a Jeep Renegade Plug-in hybrid. It will be built alongside the regular Renegade and its Fiat 500X platform mate in FCA’s factory in Melfi, Italy. Jeep will start building pre-production units in 2019, and launch it in the market in early 2020.

Jeep’s relation with Moab is about to go on a new level with the introduction of the Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition. Based on the four-door Jeep Wrangler Sahara, the Wrangler Moab Edition is offered with a smorgasbord of features, some of which it shares with the rugged - and more upscale — Wrangler Rubicon trim. The Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition essentially sits between the Sahara and Rubicon trims, providing customers with another Wrangler option to choose from.

We’ve always been big proponents of the idea “Hellcat All The Things”, and for the most part, FCA has obliged, stuffing its incredible supercharged V-8 into a number of interesting four-wheeled applications. Now, it’s looking like the latest to get possessed with underworld levels of power might be the upcoming Wagoneer.

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has flagged the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee after both SUVs scored an overall rating of “poor” in the agency’s recent crash test examination. According to results of the passenger-side small overlap front crash tests, both SUVs showed a high risk of injury to a front passenger with potentially fatal ramifications.

It wasn’t that long ago that the late Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne unveiled a massive four-year plan for all the auto brands belonging to the American automaker. There were a lot of announcements involving brands like Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, RAM, and Maserati. Some of the announcements were expected, but there were also some announcements that left a lot of people surprised and excited for what’s to come. All in all, more than 25 new vehicles are being planned over the next four years, including the five models that we’re most excited to see.

Discontinued in 2010 after only five years on the market, Jeep’s seven-seat SUV, the Commander, makes a comeback in 2018. But unlike its predecessor, which was a global model, the new SUV is only available in China. Production also shifted to the Asian country, while the nameplate was updated to the Grand Commander. The midsize hauler was unveiled at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show.

The new SUV is heavily based on the Grand Cherokee design-wise, and it appears to be focused more on hauling people rather than off-roading. While the Grand Commander won’t make it to the United States, a three-row SUV will be offered here, but under the Wagoneer name. Jeep plans to build both Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models, which will be based on the body-on-frame platform of the latest Ram 1500 truck.

Does the Grand Commander provide hints as to what we will get from the Wagoneer? It’s difficult to say given that the latter is still a couple of years away, but let’s take a closer look at the China-spec SUV for now.

Continue reading to learn more about the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

Jeep’s commitment to the Chinese market is now on display at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show. Taking up a lot of space is the Jeep Grand Commander, a massive three-row, seven-seater, full-sized SUV that’s itching to take a bite out of the luxury SUV pie in the world’s biggest auto market. The Grand Commander is the latest in a long line of Jeep models that are available in China, including the Compass, Renegade, and the iconic Cherokee.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the family of Anton Yelchin have finally settled the lawsuit that was filed by the latter over the unfortunate and untimely death of the Star Trek actor. A report from Reuters reveals that the case was wrapped up in Los Angeles Superior Court last week, putting the rest a legal battle that had been ongoing for the last 20 months.

FCA has been in a bind for the last couple of years with hope of improvement coming from the updated Ram 1500, the new Jeep Wrangler JL, and the upcoming Wrangler-based pickup truck. We’ve all seen the mules of the Jeep Pickup truck, AKA the Scrambler, testing on public roads but information about it from FCA or Jeep itself has remained top secret. All that has changed after a dealer meeting that gave just one piece of “new” information – the Jeep Wrangler Pickup will go into production in the final quarter of 2018, with dealerships getting their first haul to sell in April of 2019 – that’s just a year away folks.

Another day, another piece of news about a new crossover. This time, Jeep takes its turn in the spotlight with plans to launch a new model that would sit below the Renegade, making it Jeep’s new entry-level offering. Word of this development comes from Jeep CEO Mike Manley, who admitted that the prospect of an even smaller car than the Renegade is an appealing proposition, especially in markets like Europe and Latin America.

The Jeep Wrangler is arguably one of Ameria’s most iconic contributions to the auto industry. Its go-anywhere capability is second-to-none, and the launch of the new-generation JL Wrangler in 2017 was seen as the start of the next chapter of the SUV’s long and storied history. The JL Wrangler’s arrival also opened the doors for tuning companies to start working on programs for the off-roader. It certainly didn’t take long for one company to do it because Bruiser Conversions has already performed a successful engine swap on the Wrangler.

Jeep has a long history of producing Super Bowl commercials that resonate with its owners. The automaker’s commercial for Super Bowl LII follows along that same blueprint. There are no celebrities trying to fit inside the SUV to make a pitch. There are no witty lines and slapstick comedy routines. There are, however, plenty of beautiful shots of America’s roads and expansive highway systems. There’s also a brooding voiceover that emphasizes the importance of roads in today’s world and the need to, on some occasions, look past them.

Jeep is scheduled to end production of the outgoing Wrangler JK on April 7, 2018. Both the JK and the all-new 2018 Wrangler JL have been built simultaneously since November, but on separate assembly lines on separate sides of the Jeep campus. However, the JK’s end marks the beginning of the Wrangler JL-based pickup truck, the Scrambler.

Moreover, that means the Scrambler’s official debut is quickly approaching. The 2018 Chicago Auto Show is likely the next-best opportunity. The show is slated for February 8 and 9, so we don’t have long to wait.

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Jeep has announced the pricing for its refreshed 2019 Cherokee mid-size SUV. The reshaped Cherokee debuted earlier this month at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show and wears a more traditional front end that is more likely to appeal to a wider audience. It also has slightly more cargo space and comes with Jeep’s new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder in addition to its carryover 2.4-liter I-4 and 3.2-liter V-6 engines. Its nine-speed automatic and Active Drive 4WD system have been improved for efficiency, as well.

The 2019 Jeep Cherokee’s base price actually drops $300 in the base Latitude trim to $25,190. Every other trim level, however, sees an increase in price. The Latitude Plus increases by $300 and the Limited trim increases by $680. The two range-topping trims, the off-road-ready Trailhawk and the luxurious Overland jump by $2,425 and $2,280, respectively. That puts the 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk starting at $34,515 and the Overland in FWD at $36,275.

Jeep has streamlined its 4WD costs, with Active Drive I costing $1,500 on all trims except for the Trailhawk, which has its 4WD price baked into its base MSRP. The Trailhawk gets Cherokee’s most advanced 4WD system, Active Drive Lock.

Further adding to a price increase, Jeep added an extra $100 to its destination charge, bringing it to $1,195 for all trim levels.

Jeep is an immensely lucrative brand these days, and Fiat Chrysler is wisely cashing in on the moneymaker. FCA is reportedly developing a “baby Jeep” that’s smaller than the current Renegade for use in global markets like China and Europe.

A report from Automotive News quotes Jeep boss Mike Manley as saying the brand is looking “very closely” at a small crossover. What’s more, the Jeep would already have a chassis to borrow – the Mini architecture currently underpinning the Fiat Panda and several other city cars sold across Europe. FCA’s Pomigliano assembly plant outside Naples, Italy has already been selected as the factory. That’s not too surprising given the Panda is currently built there.

However, according to FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne who spoke on the topic at the 2017 Geneva Auto Show, the Panda is scheduled to vacate the Pomigliano factory between 2019 and 2020. Marchionne said Pomigliano “can work on more complex cars than the Panda.” Perhaps that means the Jeep will be more adept at off-road than even the beefed-up Fiat Panda Cross.

Unfortunately, it seems development of this baby Jeep has hit roadblocks, according to reports from Automotive News Europe. Speculation suggests delays could be tied to developing a more capable off-roader from the Mini platform in order to retain Jeep’s Trail Rated status. That ties in with Marchionne’s statement.

Naturally, such a small crossover would flop here in the U.S., so Jeep will reserve the compact model for its international markets. That means the Reengaged will likely continue being America’s smallest Jeep product, which is totally fine.

Of course, Jeep is also building SUVs in the other direction. Jeep has all but debuted the Ram 1500 pickup-based Wagoneer and luxury-minded Grand Wagoneer. Both models were promised by Marchionne a few years back as Jeep’s way of competing with Ranger Rover and the other high-end SUVs flooding the market. Moreover, Jeep has its upcoming Grand Commander three-row SUV that will be completely dedicated to the Chinese automotive market.

What do you think? Should Jeep build a compact model below the Renegade and sell it everywhere but inside the U.S.? Let us know in the comments below.