1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jeep Cherokee sales rival Wrangler after two months

In our First Drive article on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee we said, "our informal and thoroughly unscientific opinion is they're going to sell tons of them. Why? Because it is very good." So far, it appears the public concurs. Of course, it's very early - the new compact utility has logged just one month of confirmed sales, but Larry Vellequette at Automotive News says dealers have told him that the second month of sales will be even better, a message that mirrors what we've heard from company execs.
In its first, severely truncated month on sale, the Cherokee sold 579 units. With all of November to play with, though, dealers moved 10,169 of them - compared to 11,753 Wranglers and 14,798 Grand Cherokees. That helped propel Jeep to a 30-percent year-on-year improvement for the month, Chrysler Group to a 16-percent improvement and the group's 44th consecutive month of sales growth, exceeding analyst expectations in posting its best November numbers since 2007.
If it can just keep replicating the its first month of sales, the finalist in North American Truck of the Year voting will smoke the trade done by the outgoing Liberty, which didn't break 7,900 units in a month in the last four years of its life (and normally didn't get close to even that). In March this year, Chrysler said it wants to build 250,000 Cherokees in its Toledo assembly plant for global sales. It's early yet, but with second-month sales quoted as being as "strong as death," the bookies might be resetting the odds.

Car Club USA: Moab Jeep Jamboree

Today Autoblog is excited to premiere its latest original video series, Car Club USA. Car Club USA's debut episode features the Just Jeeps club of Omaha, including a father-son duo traveling to Moab, UT to brave the treacherous trails. Brian is behind the wheel, as his father guides him through the most dangerous geographical features Moab's red desert has to offer. Joining them are Gene and Jean, an older married couple from Minnesota whose modified Jeep Wrangler – like its owners – knows no bounds. "We're in our seventies now," explained Jean. "We could be sitting at home in a rocking chair watching TV, but we'd rather do this." Also hitting the trails is Matt, a Californian who looks to pay homage to his father by exploring southern Utah in a World War II-era Jeep Willys. "This was our stomping ground," said Matt. "That's why I chose to come to Utah for my big vacation this year, in his memory, to see some of the places we used to go together, and have fun and do some Jeeping." Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Car Club USA Videos

Marchionne: Midsize pickup still not in the cards; Ram 1500, Jeep Wrangler could use aluminum

During the Fiat-Chrysler briefings on Tuesday, Reid Bigland, head of Ram Trucks, outlined the new product plans for his brand, including confirmation that an all-new light-duty Ram 1500 will launch in 2017. From there, discussions spun off in two directions, with the main questions being: will Ram build a midsize pickup? And, following Ford's move to extensively use aluminum in its new 2015 F-150, will Chrysler be using this weight-saving material for the next round of its fullsize truck, as well?
"I think there is room for a Ram 1000," Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne (pictured above) told members of the media, saying this is a conversation the automaker has been having internally for several years now. "We've tried this ... we've actually taken it to clinics," Marchionne stated, adding that the "response has been lukewarm."
"I have better use of aluminum in this house than a pickup truck." - Sergio Marchionne