Jeep Four-Wheel-Drive Innovation Wins Walter P. Chrysler Technology Award

Walter P Chrysler Technology AwardEarlier this week, the Walter P. Chrysler Technology Award was given to engineers Don Schmanski, Mike Nemeth, Joe Kubina, and Pete Jarzyna for their critical work on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee.

The team was being honored for their work on U.S. Patent No. 8172712, the four-wheel-drive system available in the 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Thanks to this innovation, the 2014 Jeep Cherokee has crawl ratios up to 56:1, and the fuel economy has been improved by 2.5 percent.

Their patent was chosen out of 44 patented technologies developed at Chrysler Group in the past year, beating out U.S. Patent No. 8182016, a new seat assembly allowing forward or rear-facing seating positions, and U.S. Patent 8096044, an apparatus for setting the door and quarter-glass in a convertible vehicle body prior to assembling the convertible top.

Schmanski, Nemeth, Kubina, and Jarzyna have received commemorative medallions honoring their achievement, and the entire team’s names will be etched on a trophy which is on display at Chrysler Group headquarters.

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Autobytel Names 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV of the Year

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited

2014 is still young, and the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is already raking in major awards, including Autobytel’s “SUV of the Year.”

At the end of 2013, the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee had achieved the highest November sales number since before the recession as well as a Car of the Year award from the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada for Best New SUV. Jeep is continuing that momentum in January with their most recent win.

Autobytel’s editor-in-chief Michelle Naranjo had high praise for the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, stating in a recent press release, “For 2014, the Jeep Grand Cherokee embodies a readiness to head off into the hills as an affordable family hauler wrapped around class-leading interiors chockfull of the safety, technology and comfort features that set the Grand Cherokee at the top of the heap.”

Another vehicle from the Chrysler Group was also honored by Autobytel this year. The 2014 Ram 1500 was named the Pickup Truck of the Year, making Chrysler Group a two-time winner. Doug Betts, Senior Vice President of Quality at Chrysler Group, called the awards “a great honor,” attributing their success to the company’s diligent work building “world-class vehicles.”

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Jeep Announces New SUV Model

libertyAs part of a bigger expansion plan, Jeep has announced that it will be producing a smaller SUV model at its plant in Melfi, Italy.

This new SUV is not the previously announced replacement for the Jeep Compass and Patriot but rather a whole new model. Even though the new, smaller SUV will be built in Italy, Jeep plants in the United States have no need to fear. The Compass/Patriot replacement will be built in the United States, and Chrysler currently plans on adding over 1,100 workers to the Toledo plant next year.

Chrysler’s majority owner Fiat expects that production of this smaller SUV and another new Fiat model at the Melfi plant will help the local economy as well as increase auto sales in Europe. Also, the Melfi plant has been underutilized of late, and it makes sense to put it to good use.

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