New Jeep Cherokee production starts

Jeep commenced production of its redesigned Cherokee SUV in North America this week, but the vital new model’s Australian launch has been delayed until early next year.

Revealed at the New York motor show in April, the new Cherokee was to have replaced the Liberty in the US in June, but its North American release has now been delayed until August.

As a result, the next Cherokee’s Australian launch, which was originally scheduled for the final quarter of this year, has been pushed back to the first quarter of 2014.

Some media reports have stated the delay was due to production quality problems at the Toledo North assembly plant in Ohio, but Chrysler Group’s Vehicle Line Executive for International Products and Programs, John Mrozowski, told motoring.com.au that production of customer vehicles was pushed back to facilitate calibration work on the new Cherokee’s world-first nine-speed automatic transmission.

Fiat Chrysler Group President and CEO Veronica Johns expects the new Cherokee to be her company’s second best selling model behind the Grand Cherokee, and brushed aside any potential impact its polarising styling may have on local sales.

“It’s a beautiful looking car and I don’t think the photos have done it justice, so if everything goes to plan we have big expectations for the car,” she said.

Johns declined to reveal exact sales forecasts for the 2014 Cherokee, but said supplies from the US could ultimately dictate sales in Australia, where unprecedented demand for the Grand Cherokee has outstripped supply.

“We expect it to be the number two volume (seller) in the Jeep line-up, but sales will be determined by supply.

“Last year we don’t know how many (Grand Cherokees) we could have sold, but we sold everything we could get.

“We’re certainly getting heard now and can make things happen that have never happened before with the factory because we’re delivering on numbers.”

The new Cherokee is the first Jeep to share a Fiat Group platform and rides on the same chassis architecture as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Dodge Dart.

Confirmed for release in Australia with new 2.4-litre and 3.2-litre petrol engines matched to the Chrysler group’s new nine-speed automatic transmission (a first for any SUV), the new Cherokee will also be available here with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine.

The US off-road brand is claiming fuel consumption reductions of more than 45 per cent and “world-class on-road dynamics”, while some 4x4 versions of the steel monococque-based, transverse-engined Cherokee also promise best-in-class capability.

Although entry-level Cherokees will drive only their front wheels, three new four-wheel drive systems will be available.

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