2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 on 2040-cars

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Chrysler adding 200 jobs at Ohio Jeep Wrangler plant

Chrysler is betting that the Jeep Wrangler will continue its strong sales surge as it continues to push the legendary brand out across the globe. The Auburn Hills automaker is reportedly adding 200 workers at the Toledo, Ohio plant that builds the Wrangler. What's more, those new hires will be at their posts quickly - they'll be on the job by April 1. Of those 200 workers, 130 employees will be there to relieve those who need breaks.
Why do they need so many relief workers? The Toledo Jeep Complex is currently working at a torrid pace with two ten-hour shifts. A third shift has been ruled out for the moment because of a production botttleneck - the plant's paint shop is already maxed out. According to Reuters, Wrangler production in 2012 cleared 200,000 units, and US sales were up by 16 percent.
Another part of the Toledo plant is presently down as Chrysler retools the line to build Jeep's divisively styled Liberty replacement, the Cherokee (seen in our gallery below). Production for the new model is scheduled to begin toward the end of May.

Autoblog Minute: Wrangler Pickup, Triumph Fined, Cherokee Production Moves

Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on highlights from the week in automotive news on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Triumph Motorcycles in violation of the Safety Act, Jeep looks to adjust its vehicle production strategy, and a Wrangler pickup may soon be be produced in Toledo. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore, and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Triumph Motorcycles was hit with a $2.9-million fine because of a failure to submit safety documents to NHTSA in a timely fashion. An investigation of 1,300 bikes in September of 2014 led to this finding. Other violations were then discovered, like the late reporting of quarterly recall completion rates, and Triumph's failure to supply warranty data. Fines for these violations may seem harsh but U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said: "Manufacturers must comply with their reporting obligations. The law requires it, and public safety demands it. When companies fail to meet those obligations, we will hold them accountable." In FCA news, it seems that production of the Jeep Cherokee will be moved from the Toledo plant to a nearby state. Automotive News first reported on this adding that Jeep may produce a pickup alongside Wrangler to fill the void left by Cherokee. Jeep declined to comment on this news. Speculation surrounding Jeep's production plans depends on the automaker's ongoing negotiations with the UAW. Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to check out my full recap this Saturday, including details on Ford's performance Fusion. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Jeep Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video Triumph Motorcycles

2014 Jeep Cherokee: Long-term wrap-up [w/video]

Sorry, Sweet Brown. Your place in Autoblog history as the most highly demanded long-term car has come to an end. We just finished a one-year test of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, and after 27,000 miles of hard use, one thing is very clear: this is one of the best all-rounders we've ever tested. The Jeep Cherokee isn't perfect, and our long-term tester proved that. But no compact crossover is. Still, the Trailhawk oozed personality where other small CUVs seem bland, and the Jeep felt more like a trusty companion than just another test car. For road trips, the requests weren't, "Can I have a long-term car this weekend?" They were specific: "I'd like the Cherokee, please." No matter the season, the driver, or the situation, the Jeep was always a sure fit. Fiat Chrysler bet big with this one. It had a global platform, a new engine, and one heck of a funny face. The end result was a CUV that we'd gladly welcome back into our fleet any day. View 51 Photos Our car carried a sticker price of $38,059, but that's without goodies like HID headlamps, a sunroof, or even full leather seats. Lots To Like Admittedly, we picked the Trailhawk trim for cosmetic reasons (more on it's off-road capability in a second). To this day, many of us still think the Cherokee is a homely little thing, but its inherent weirdness doesn't stand out as much when you add the black accents and big, knobby tires of the Trailhawk model. The butched-up look really works here, and we wouldn't have wanted the Jeep any other way. Of course, opting for Trailhawk package meant getting one of Jeep's more expensive Cherokees. Our car carried a sticker price of $38,059, but that's without goodies like HID headlamps (which we could have used – the halogens were pretty weak), a sunroof, or even full leather seats. This car genuinely felt premium, though. Right off the bat, the Cherokee received compliments for its comfortable, supportive seats, not to mention the high quality of interior materials and the general fit and finish. Specifically, the interior packaging won us over early on. We appreciated things like the higher-end stereo, smart layout of the center console, and ample storage, including a bin under the front passenger seat cushion. (That said, we also found that this bin becomes a catch-all for wrappers, french fries, and anything else that might get dropped on the seat.) The Uconnect infotainment system was a joy to use, never giving us any finicky problems or usability issues.