The Wall Street Journal maps out the long road it has been to keep the Wrangler production at the Toledo plant.  Sergio Marchionne has been keeping the people at the Toledo Assembly Plant on edge with his comments about what to expect from the 2017 Jeep Wrangler.  He said that the new Jeep will be making use of aluminum to have better fuel efficiency but the new Wrangler will not have an all-aluminum body.

This is a change from his comments back in October that the new Wrangler would be having an aluminum body.  Using that material would mean the Jeep would have to be built elsewhere, taking the Wrangler away from the Toledo plant for the first time in many years.

“We’ve run the numbers and we’ve simulated the mileage,” Mr. Marchionne is quoted as saying.  “But because of the difference in costs, not just in materials but the actual assembly process, I think we can do almost as well without aluminum.”

This may be the sign that Marchionne is keeping the Wrangler still in Toledo, something he said he wanted to do.  The plant and local city officials have been working hard to convince the company to keep the Wrangler there as well.  They’ve bought up additional land for the auto maker to use if any additional building for the plant needed to happen.

While Marchionne hasn’t said for sure one way or the other, it is clear that Toledo will be fighting until the end to hold onto that Wrangler production.

If you’re interested in learning more about Jeep vehicles, contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  View our new and used inventory online.  Check out our mobile app to schedule and keep track of your service appointments.  Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, to stay up to date on auto news and our special monthly offers.