Petition Demands That Sergio Spin Off Jeep in Order to Save It

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

A group of Jeep fans wants Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne to make a Sophie’s Choice-style decision to save their beloved offroader.

To avoid the destruction of the storied brand at the hands of its parent company, FCA must cast it loose, the group states in a strongly-worded Change.org petition.

“As owners and fans of Jeep vehicles, we are calling on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to separate Jeep from FCA’s stable of failing brands and debt,” the petition states. “We urge FCA to execute a spinoff to save Jeep.”

The group claims the strong-performing Jeep has FCA’s 6 billion euro debt hanging over its head like a guillotine, while its association with owner Fiat risks undermining the brand’s reputation for rugged quality. By spinning off the brand like FCA did with Ferrari, Jeep could survive as an independent, they claim.

The group goes on to say that although Jeep (like Ram) is one of FCA’s chief money makers, its sales performance is being taken for granted by Marchionne, who is using the brand as a cash cow to reduce his company’s debt load.

“FCA’s plan is not to honor the Jeep brand, but to cannibalize it,” they claim.

The petition was started by Michael Turk, a Virginia resident and life-long Jeep aficionado. Turk’s first vehicle was a 1985 CJ7, and he’s since bought two more Wranglers, with a 1953 CJ-3B project vehicle awaiting restoration.

In an email to TTAC, he acknowledged the extreme unlikeliness of his petition swaying the head of FCA into cutting loose one of his top revenue generators. Turk sees it simply as giving a voice to the “undercurrent of concern” for the brand among Jeep loyalists.

“I started the petition because I am concerned that the headwinds for FCA spell disaster for Jeep,” he said, adding that the issues afflicting the brand concerns more than just corporate debt.

“The coming increases in emissions standards spell trouble for a company that sees most of its revenue from light trucks and SUVs. Unless they make significant changes (and its not clear they have the capital to do so) the stream of cash from Jeep sales may soon run short and that will leave few good options for the brand.”

Turk said he’d like to see the petition become a “rallying point” for Jeep lovers, and hopes it compels FCA executives to start seeing its customers as people, not market share.

TTAC reached out to Jeep public relations officials about the petition, who chose not to comment on the matter.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Stevenj Stevenj on Apr 13, 2016

    Someone here already nailed it...... "Jeep’s success at this point is fashion-based, not rooted in intrinsic value or durability of product."

  • Zackman Zackman on Apr 13, 2016

    I have a very simple solution for Jeep: Sell it to Ford. After all, Ford was really the only other major manufacturer, and they certainly have the ability to fix once and for all the nagging quality problems with the brand and make it a real winner in the market, far better than it is even now. FCA can wither away and die for all I care. Most of their products don't matter anyway, and my impression is that they turn to junk far quicker than any other OEM.

    • Vulpine Vulpine on Apr 13, 2016

      Ford would go out of their way to make it a Ford and probably name it Bronco.

  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
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