Jeep planning Range Rover rival
SUV brand issues direct challenge to top-shelf luxury SUVs – particularly Land Rover, via reborn Grand WagoneerJeep is heading towards direct confrontation with European luxury SUVs via its next-generation Grand Wagoneer due in the USA by 2018.
According to a report in British website Autocar, the company’s outspoken global brand director Mike Manley confirmed that the new Jeep will slot in above the current flagship Grand Cherokee SUV to tackle Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and BMW with three rows of seats and all the goods required to compete in the luxury category.
"Part of my plan says there is space for us above the Grand Cherokee. I’ve always talked about Grand Wagoneer and that for me is a big focus and will fill out the brand at the top," he told Autocar.
The comments give a clearer picture of how the Grand Cherokee (pictured) and a new Grand Wagoneer would co-exist within the model line-up after Jeep made reference to a reincarnated Grand Wagoneer at the 2012 Geneva motor show.
"I think that vehicle [the Grand Wagoneer] will very, very effectively compete with premium SUVs," Manley said.
Another aspect made clear was how Jeep sees itself in context with other players in the SUV sector, placing particular emphasis on the conception that it's most direct competitor is British SUV specialist Land Rover.
Commenting on how the Jeep brand fits with upcoming SUVs such as Maserati’s Levante (Maserati is part of the global Fiat empire), he said "Maserati and Jeep are two very different brands. I have zero sleepless nights about the launch of their vehicle. The Levante will play in a part of the market that Jeep is not playing in.
"Range Rover is a different story. Jeep and Range Rover have historically competed. Range Rover is the other pure SUV brand in the world. So they will always be our competitors," observed Manley.
In Australia Jeep's current flagship model, the Grand Cherokee, is the best-selling vehicle in its class. The big SUV accounted for almost 16 per cent market share of the large SUV segment with 14,297 sales to the end of October 2014, edging out the Toyota Prado's 15.2 per cent share or 13,615 sales.
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