Jeep lays out 5-year plan, including rebirth of Grand Wagoneer and new C-segment offering

Tue, 06 May 2014

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Machionne presented a five-year plan for the company brands this morning, with Jeep first up on a long day of presentation. Jeep's head honcho Michael Manley wasted no time in laying out what the foreseeable future will look like for what he calls the "lead global brand" of the company.

Big goals for the next half-decade will include expanding the lineup from five nameplates built in one country, to six nameplates build in six countries. That expansion of models will include both a three-row competitor, and, of course, a small vehicle to slot below Cherokee. The company is also seeking to add a whopping 1,300 dealers over the next few years, to sell all this new metal, and has an aggressive goal of doubling Jeep sales by the time 2018 rolls around.

As expected, that first salvo from the off-road brand will be the debut of the much ballyhooed Renegade small crossover in the third quarter of this year. Jeep has already designated that Renegade will get refreshed for the 2017 model year, as well.

The three-row vehicle in question will be a redux of the Grand Wagoneer nameplate, slated to come to market in the second half of 2018. Manley called the upcoming product the "most premium Jeep we will have ever made," which sounds promising considering recent product offerings.

2016 will be an unusually important year for Jeep; fitting as it will also mark the company's 75-year anniversary. An as-yet unnamed C-segment SUV will make its debut in '16, and the current Cherokee will be due for its mid-cycle refresh as well while both the Patriot and the Compass lines will meet their maker by 2016.

Finally, on to brand cornerstones Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. According to the company, we should expect a completely new Wrangler in the second quarter of 2017, though there is, as of yet, little to no detail on what we should expect. The current Grand Cherokee is slated to get a refresh in the fourth quarter of 2015, before the next generation debuts in the third quarter of 2017.

By Seyth Miersma