Jeep gunning for Range Rover, says boss

Sergio Marchionne, boss of Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA), has announced that Jeep will develop a luxury SUV to rival the Range Rover, according to newswire Bloomberg.

In a speech made to journalists in Canada, outspoken Marchionne said: “When I see a Range Rover on the street, my blood boils, because we should be able to do a thing like that”, before adding: “And we will.”

The announcement that Jeep could, for the first time, go head-to-head with vehicles like the Range Rover and Mercedes GL means the American SUV might share platform and engines with the forthcoming big Maserati Levante SUV.

The Levante is built on an evolution of the current Maserati Quattroporte sedan platform and is expected to be offered with both V6 petrol and diesels. A V8 petrol is expected to follow after its launch towards the end of this year. All-versions will come with an eight-speed automatic and a plug-in hybrid has also been confirmed.

Expected to be launched at the end of 2015, right hand-drive versions of the Maserati Levante follow later on and arrive in early 2016. It’s not know how long we’ll have to wait Down Under for the Italian firm’s first ever SUV.

Meanwhile, Marchionne has refused to reveal the timescale for when the new luxury Jeep will arrive. When asked by a journalist when the American Range Rover will go on sale the Fiat Chrysler boss said: “Would I tell you that? No, but we’re working on it now.”