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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2013 Jeep Wrangler Takes Home Four Wheeler of the Year

The Jeep Wrangler has taken home numerous awards in the past including Cars.com’s Best New Car for Off-Roaders, SEMA Show’s Hottest 4×4, and Ward’s Top 4 Engine. Now for the third year in a row, the Jeep Wrangler has taken home Four Wheeler‘s Four Wheeler of the Year award.

The 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Moab Edition was announced as the winner early last week, and before it was named winner, Four Wheeler put the Jeep Wrangler through its paces. They tested it out on an off-road trail, pavement, and on a ramp, and they noted, “The Moab traversed all of the sand we threw at it, and it threw plenty back.”

In addition to road performance, they also looked at the vehicles interior and were obviously impressed with the Wrangler’s additional driver comforts. One judge said, “The inside is getting almost too nice for a Wrangler,” but the judges were ultimately happy with the leather seats, audio system, and 6.5-inch touchscreen display since it never affected the vehicle’s off-road performance.

To read Four Wheeler’s full rundown of the 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Moab Edition, click here, and you can check out the Jeep Wrangler and the full Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram line-up by stopping by Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge. View the online Jeep showroom here, and schedule a test drive by clicking here. You can also get more Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram news by liking Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Facebook, following Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Twitter, and subscribing to Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge on YouTube.

Jeep Plant Readies for Liberty Replacement

The Jeep Liberty is getting itself a replacement. In order to get ready for the production of it, however, Chrysler is making sure that the plant responsible for this new Jeep vehicle is readying. That means the plant will be going idle this month.

Starting August 16th, the Toledo North factory will be halting their production to start shipping new models in the 2013 second quarter, according to the Detroit News. Chrysler is looking to invest around $1.7 billion to give the Jeep Liberty an upgrade and give the Toledo plant the assembly complex needed to deal with the added capacity.

The full investment will provide an expansion to the plant’s body shop with $500 million. This lets the plant also install a new metrology center that verifies the measurements of the vehicles and can improve the fit and finish of components. The plant will also need to start adding more workers. There are already 2,800 employees at the plant that assemble the Jeep Wrangler and that number is expected to increase with 1,100 new workers.

Zach Leroux, the plant manager, remarked on the challenge ahead for the plant and the new Jeep Liberty’s replacement, “We have new product and a whole new shift, so our task is tall. We have a tall challenge ahead of us.”

With the Dodge Dart on the way out in mass, it’s time for Chrysler and the rest of the brands to start really putting some hype into the next products. Other updates planned are for the Grand Cherokee and a new Ram heavy-duty truck in 2013.

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