No Contest: Jeep Grand Cherokee is the Best!

When it comes to the quality of Jeep, there’s no competition. Don’t just take my word for it, the editors of Drive agree with that statement.

Drive has made the announcement that they have chosen the winner of their best four-wheel-drive of the year for 2012. That winner is none other than the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The interesting thing to take note of with the win isn’t the competition that the Grand Cherokee was up against, however. It’s that the Jeep won without a fight.

The judges are so certain that the Jeep doesn’t have a serious enough challenge that they didn’t feel the need to have a drawn out process. Not another vehicle even came close enough to produce a shred of doubt in their minds. It’s never happened before in the seven-years this award has been handed out, no other car has had such a staggering victory against the competition.

The love affair with the Grand Cherokee started the previous year when the Jeep took the lead away from the Land Rover Discovery. When compared to the Jeep’s improved interior, refined road manners, and the incredible value, there was just no contest.

Contact Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge for a test drive and see why the Jeep Grand Cherokee deserves all the love it is receiving. View our new and pre-owned inventory online as well. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter of more Jeep news and dealership offers.

2014 Jeep Liberty Prototype Spotted!

If you want to see the next generation of cars out in the wild, you might want to stick around the offices of Automobile Magazine. For whatever the reason is, they seemingly have all the luck. Just the other day, they not only got to see a pre-production Buick Encore and a Citroen DS5, but they also managed to catch a glimpse (and some pictures) of the prototype for the 2014 Jeep Liberty.

Cloaked in complete black with no real discernible features didn’t keep the editors at Automobile Magazine from realizing they were getting a sneak peak at something special. Under that disguise, they were able to recognize core features that pointed to this being the future of Jeep. Most notably is that it is similar to a Jeep prototype they caught sight of in April and then there’s also the seven-slot Jeep grille.

The 2014 Jeep is expected to take many of the lessons learned in the 2013 Dodge Dart and put them to use. It’ll likely have a 1.4-liter turbo-four. For buyers looking for more power, a 2.4-liter Tigershark I-4 may be a variant seeing as how it’s also being offered for the Dart. It’s too early to set anything in stone, but definitely expect there to be powerful options as Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne promised that the new Liberty will still be a “trail-rated, full-blooded Jeep.”

No word yet on when to expect any official word on the 2014 Jeep Liberty, but production of said vehicle is slated to begin next year at the Toledo, Ohio plant. Keep current on any news about it by liking us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can view the current Jeep line-up online at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Ad Turning Point for Company

Chrysler has had a lot of success with their “Imported from Detroit” commercials that feature Eminem and the infamous “Half-Time in America” ads with Clint Eastwood. As popular as these as ads have been, another commercial has actually been more important according to the heads of Chrysler. That honor belongs to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, with a commercial that debuted in 2010.

The Detroit Free Press highlights interviews with the Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, as well as John Jay, the global executive creative direction for Wieden + Kennedy. In it, they both came to the conclusion that the commercial for the Grand Cherokee was the beginning of a new chapter for not only the products the company was making, but also their marketing.

“The Jeep was a turning point for Chrysler and was when our working relationship and creative work moved to a next level, “ says Jay. “There was so much at stake for that car to prove there was a new Chrysler in its devotion to product quality.”

The reasoning behind Marchionne’s thinking was that it was very important to let the public know that things were going to be very different with Chrysler after the bankruptcy, and different in a good way. This mindset even led him to delaying the launch of the Jeep Grand Cherokee to make sure that everything was handled right and the launch would go off without a hitch. It was a decision that would cost the company millions, but Marchionne believes it was the right choice.

“That was a turning point because it was the first car coming out of the company since its bankruptcy and we tweaked that commercial until the very end,” says Marchionne.

Take a look at the commercial for yourself and see if you believe that it was the best choice of rebirth for the company.

Be sure to visit the Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge website and view our new and pre-owned inventory. You can even schedule yourself a test drive. Like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter, for more Jeep updates.