Big coming, but Baby Jeeps key to growth

Global head of Jeep, Mike Manley, has confirmed the iconic offroad brand will build a new large 4x4 but has spotlighted the US marque's smaller models as its most important.

Talking at Auto China 2012 in Beijing, this week, Manley indicated the clock was ticking on Jeep's rollout of new generation vehicles. He described next January's [2013] North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) as a key focus for the brand but also stated a new B-segment softroader and replacement C-segment SUV, though further down the track, were upcoming highlights.

Manley confirmed Jeep would address the gap above Grand Cherokee vacated by the unloved Commander. He also stated Jeep had a B-segment SUV in development and that Cherokee's replacement would be built on a modified version of Fiat/Alfa Romeo's Giulietta platform (artist's impression of Alfa pictured).

"[There's] space above the Grand Cherokee for a bigger Jeep," Manley told motoring.com.au.

"Maybe [the segment is] not so applicable in Australia, but certainly for the USA and Middle Eastern markets, a three-row Grand Wagoneer type vehicle [is important].

"[But] If you look at where we are in terms of our product cycle, one of the biggest SUV segments in the world is D [-segment] SUV... [Our entrant] Liberty [Cherokee] is towards the end of its product cycle so we’ll be launching [a new generation] next year.

"Then next on the horizon is what do we do with Compass and Patriot? And we’ve talked about replacing Compass and Patriot back end of 2013… No, [start of] 2014."

Manley said the Fiat donor platform for new Cherokee would be modified.

"There’s no doubt that we will use... [Fiat technology and platforms]… The platforms, or the technology for the next D-SUV is actually a Fiat platform... It’s a derivative of Giulietta, but heavily modified," he explained.

Jeep will further leverage the relationship with Fiat in the short term by debuting a turbodiesel Grand Cherokee in the USA in 2013. This is made possible by offshoot VM Motori's adoption of Euro 6 technology to the M-Class based two-row large SUV's turbodiesel V6. Euro 6 enables the Grand Cherokee to be sold in all 50 states of the USA, says Manley.

But there's little doubt the global Jeep and Asia Pacific Fiat Chrysler Group boss is most excited about Jeep's plans to built its first ever B-segment SUV.

Expected to debut in late 2013 or early 2014, the all-new B-segment Jeep model will be aimed at a still fledgling marketplace – but one that is expected to grow strongly in the BRIC countries as well as Australia and other developed auto markets. Sitting below compact SUVs like Jeep's Compass and Patriot, the new as-yet unnamed Jeep would take the replacements for the likes of Nissan's Juke and Ford's just unveiled Fiesta-based Ecosport.

"We’ve said we want to add a B-segment Jeep. That, for me, is very, very, very important because obviously we continue to see downsizing as a pressure -- whether it’s on powertrains or whether it’s on overall vehicle size."

"But I have to say I am really excited about the B-SUV because, you know, it may not today be a massive segment but I think it will cross over with [buyers] of small cars. I think you’ll get a lot of cross shopping."

Picture courtesy of Carparazzi

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...