Only in a Redesign

[TurboDan]

From our own BMWDave:

http://www.carspin.net/content/archive/200..._based_jeep.php

[Tom]

Good article, Dave.  I don't like seeing Jeep "sell out" either.  But it's all about the dollars and cents.  If these car based vehicles will generate interest and income, you can't blame Jeep for taking advantage of that.  As long as they keep the Wrangler genuine I can't complain too much.

[ifcar]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

[Tom]

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

The reality is most people don't buy Jeeps for their offroad ability.  People think Jeeps are "cute."  Others want something that is "good in snow."  

[BMWDave]

Good article, Dave.  I don't like seeing Jeep "sell out" either.  But it's all about the dollars and cents.  If these car based vehicles will generate interest and income, you can't blame Jeep for taking advantage of that.  As long as they keep the Wrangler genuine I can't complain too much.

Thank you :)

[ifcar]

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

The reality is most people don't buy Jeeps for their offroad ability.  People think Jeeps are "cute."  Others want something that is "good in snow."

But those same people could and probably would buy the same car-based model from the Chrysler or Dodge lineups, so consumers who actually do want some off-road ability can stick with Jeep.  

[BMWDave]

Good article, Dave.  I don't like seeing Jeep "sell out" either.  But it's all about the dollars and cents.  If these car based vehicles will generate interest and income, you can't blame Jeep for taking advantage of that.  As long as they keep the Wrangler genuine I can't complain too much.

If its all about dollars and cents, then Chrysler and Dodge can pick that up, if indeeed Chrysler wants more profit.  But marketing them through Jeep is the wrong answer...if they market them through other brands, they bring in the additional revenue of providing very attractive car based utes, without carrying the Jeep Moniker.

[ifcar]

Good article, Dave.  I don't like seeing Jeep "sell out" either.  But it's all about the dollars and cents.  If these car based vehicles will generate interest and income, you can't blame Jeep for taking advantage of that.  As long as they keep the Wrangler genuine I can't complain too much.

If its all about dollars and cents, then Chrysler and Dodge can pick that up, if indeeed Chrysler wants more profit.  But marketing them through Jeep is the wrong answer...if they market them through other brands, they bring in the additional revenue of providing very attractive car based utes, without carrying the Jeep Moniker.

Don't give them ideas.  <_<

Coming in 2008: the Pacifica-based Jeep Moniker!

[BMWDave]

Good article, Dave.? I don't like seeing Jeep "sell out" either.? But it's all about the dollars and cents.? If these car based vehicles will generate interest and income, you can't blame Jeep for taking advantage of that.? As long as they keep the Wrangler genuine I can't complain too much.

If its all about dollars and cents, then Chrysler and Dodge can pick that up, if indeeed Chrysler wants more profit.  But marketing them through Jeep is the wrong answer...if they market them through other brands, they bring in the additional revenue of providing very attractive car based utes, without carrying the Jeep Moniker.

Don't give them ideas.  <_<

Coming in 2008: the Pacifica-based Jeep Moniker!

:D  

[280Z Turbo]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

[BMWDave]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

They can go the Land Rover way...you dont have to sacrifice everything you stand for just to make a ute accepted by the mainstream buyers.  

And like I said, if Chrysler is so worried about money, then they can introduce these vehicles under Dodge and Chrysler names, make the same money, and thus keep the Jeep name true.

[giant_mtb]

Good read, Bob.  :) But sad story.    

[280Z Turbo]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

They can go the Land Rover way...you dont have to sacrifice everything you stand for just to make a ute accepted by the mainstream buyers.  

And like I said, if Chrysler is so worried about money, then they can introduce these vehicles under Dodge and Chrysler names, make the same money, and thus keep the Jeep name true.

And Land Rovers are really expensive too! The Jeep buyer and Land Rover buyer are quite different.

I think Jeep knows the market is shifting to car-based crossovers and they want to keep their profits up.

[BMWDave]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

They can go the Land Rover way...you dont have to sacrifice everything you stand for just to make a ute accepted by the mainstream buyers.  

And like I said, if Chrysler is so worried about money, then they can introduce these vehicles under Dodge and Chrysler names, make the same money, and thus keep the Jeep name true.

And Land Rovers are really expensive too! The Jeep buyer and Land Rover buyer are quite different.

I think Jeep knows the market is shifting to car-based crossovers and they want to keep their profits up.

Hmm...the market is also shifting toward fast cars...should Jeep produce those as well?  

Jeep is an off road manufacturer, and should not follow whimsical trends in the automotive market.  If they do that, they become like any other car maker and lose their heritage.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm not supporting what they did, I'm just saying it makes sense.

They are a business you know.

Sure, I'd like Nissan to build a no frills Z-car with no power windows, no power steering, low slung styling, a turbocharged straight six, and a curb weight under 2800 lbs. But, it ain't gonna happen.

[BMWDave]

I'm not supporting what they did, I'm just saying it makes sense.

They are a business you know.

Sure, I'd like Nissan to build a no frills Z-car with no power windows, no power steering, low slung styling, a turbocharged straight six, and a curb weight under 2800 lbs. But, it ain't gonna happen.

Theyre not exactly dying, you know  And like I said, they can use a platform design similar to LR's if they really wish to compete both on road and off.  But simply throwing away everything Jeep stands for is not a smart move, let alone a business one.  These crossovers would be better suited to Dodge or Chrysler.

[93JC]

"Land Rover is similar automaker with a history and heritage as rich as the one Jeep has. Land Rover has recently expanded their product line with more "on-road" oriented vehicles. But I am not worried about Land Rover losing its heritage, simply because those vehicles are extremely capable off road. Land Rover spent over a billion dollars to develop the platform for the new LR3 and Range Rover Sport, making them on and off road vehicles at the same time. A similar platform is needed for Jeep, should they wish to continue to expand their product line;"



The new Disco and Range Rover are not "extremely capable offroad". They're even more weaksauce than Libby and Grand Cherokee. Sorry Dave, I don't mean to be a dick, but this paragraph is BS Land Rover fanboy crap. Land Rover sold its soul to the devil when the Freelander came out.

And the new Land Rover chassis is a fairly blatant copy of the Jeep UniFrame.

[Raghavan]

Great article bob, except for the one paragraph that JC pointed out above.
I agreed with everything else.

[BMWDave]

Hardly.  The platform itself is capable...give them some tires, and they are serious off road performers.  

But my point is not to argue about how good Land Rovers are...the point is that they perform very well off road, and now, on road as well.  And that has kept their heritage alive, while providing them with extra revenue.  

I was suggesting Jeep should try a similar idea.

But that was not the main point of the article...do you think car based crossovers are the right idea for Jeep at the moment?

[BMWDave]

Great article bob, except for the one paragraph that JC pointed out above.
I agreed with everything else.

Thank you :)  

[93JC]

But that was not the main point of the article...do you think car based crossovers are the right idea for Jeep at the moment?

Of course not. I thought the KJ, WK and XK were all stupid ideas.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm not supporting what they did, I'm just saying it makes sense.

They are a business you know.

Sure, I'd like Nissan to build a no frills Z-car with no power windows, no power steering, low slung styling, a turbocharged straight six, and a curb weight under 2800 lbs. But, it ain't gonna happen.

Theyre not exactly dying, you know

And why do you suppose that is? Why it's the push-over soccer mommy mobiles they currently sell, of course!

[BMWDave]

I'm not supporting what they did, I'm just saying it makes sense.

They are a business you know.

Sure, I'd like Nissan to build a no frills Z-car with no power windows, no power steering, low slung styling, a turbocharged straight six, and a curb weight under 2800 lbs. But, it ain't gonna happen.

Theyre not exactly dying, you know

And why do you suppose that is? Why it's the push-over soccer mommy mobiles they currently sell, of course!

What push over soccer mommy cars do they sell at the moment?  The Liberty may be cute, but its still a tough ute.  So is the JGC and the Wranger.

[93JC]

Hardly. The platform itself is capable...give them some tires, and they are serious off road performers.

No they're not.

But my point is not to argue about how good Land Rovers are... the point is that they perform very well off road, and now, on road as well. And that has kept their heritage alive, while providing them with extra revenue.

I suppose they did keep their heritage alive: a heritage of duping rich people with too much money for their own good into believing they could go on safari.

Hardly. The platform itself is capable...give them some tires, and they are serious off road performers.

'Bout as serious as a Liberty or WK Grand Cherokee, which isn't very serious at all.

[Raghavan]

Actually, Land Rover doesn't need to really keep it's heritage alive. They're all bought by uber rich snobs who don't take them off road. Jeep needs to keep their heritage and off road performance, as Liberty and Wrangler and other owners do off road quite a bit.

[TBR]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

Chrysler and Dodge can sell soft utes without alienating anybody, but Jeep can't.  

[Raghavan]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

Then, once all the older jeeps are gone, what the hell will people off road with?

[280Z Turbo]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

Then, once all the older jeeps are gone, what the hell will people off road with?

They aren't going anywhere.

By the time they all decay and rot, we won't have any fossil fuels left.  

[Raghavan]

What worries me now is the liklihood that the new car-based Jeeps will sell well. They'll have a Jeep look with car-comfort, which consumers probably wil respond to. The Patriot and Compass will probably be only the first of many sales-successful car-based Jeeps.

They definitely belong to Dodge and Chrysler.

They need to make money guys.  Why should it matter to Jeep what we think? You can't sell crude off-roaders just to appease a small portion of the market.

How many people go rock-climbing in a brand new Jeep anyway?! Just get an older Jeep for that. They're simpler, cheaper, and tougher.

Then, once all the older jeeps are gone, what the hell will people off road with?

They aren't going anywhere.

By the time they all decay and rot, we won't have any fossil fuels left.

no, everyone who wants a jeep will by the real jeeps, and then they'll all be gone.

[Tom]

Jeep better get working on a good electric motor too.