Jeep brand to become "less rugged" according to chrysler

Joshua Nelson · 2003-10-27T19:47:08+00:00

I have cut and pasted some of the key passages. Didn't reproduce thewhole thing due to lack of copyright. For the full article, link to:Jeep planning less-rugged models; 2004 4x4s to be badged 'TrailRated'By MARY CONNELLY and RICK KRANZ | Automotive News The Chrysler group plans to expand the Jeep line with SUVs that moveaway from Jeep's historic roots and won't be serious off-roadvehicles."We have to extend our lineup" and offer Jeeps that will be used "99percent of the time on-road," COO Wolfgang Bernhard said last week ata press event in Austin, Texas.The decision comes as the Chrysler group is spending heavily toposition Jeep as the "real 4x4" in a world in which the definition ofan SUV is expanding.The Chrysler group needs to re-energize Jeep because the brand hasslipped badly in recent years. Jeep held 19.0 percent of the U.S. SUVmarket in 1999 but only 11.2 percent in 2002.Jeep sales peaked at 554,466 units in 1999, the year afterDaimler-Benz's acquisition of Chrysler Corp. Sales fell to 459,796last year and are down 6.4 percent so far this year.---> P.S. - I saw another related "new product" article which saysSubaru is coming out with a model called the "BC9 Scrambler" in 2004. I dunno how trademark law works exactly, but I bet this will preventthe new TJ8 from being called a Scrambler.

Oct 27, 2003 21 Replies

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Nathan Collier 22 years ago

that would make him at least a millionaire jeff. chryco's acquisition of amc made the stocks more valuable than they were before.

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CRWLR 22 years ago

sshh. He is holding the certificates waiting for AMC to come back on the Big Board.

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