Jeep Grand Wagoneer Returning Sometime After B-Segment Crossover
Whispers of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s return have been floating around for some time now, but official confirmation has finally come from Jeep brass, with CEO Mike Manley speaking about the new model in a Detroit Free Press interview.
Discussing future plans for the brand, Manley outlined his vision for a future B-Segment crossover, which he said will initially be more popular outside the United States than within it. But Manley was optimistic that the small crossover segment, which is booming across the globe, would eventually blossom in America.
Manley also discussed a future flagship product, stating
“And then the nameplate that I would also like to bring back where the majority of the market is in the U.S. and some in the Middle East, is Grand Wagoneer,” Manley said. “I see that at the top end sitting above Grand Cherokee.”
Talk of the Grand Wagoneer also coincides with some rumors that the Durango may disappear from Dodge’s lineup, leaving the Grand Wagoneer as the three-row option for buyers of the Grand Cherokee. The Grand Wagoneer has enjoyed a revival in pop culture as a retro-cool vehicle for the East Coast set, with prices for used example on a steady rise over the last few years.
Earlier this year, Jeep staff visited noted Grand Wagoneer restorer Wagonmasters for a research trip regarding the vehicle and how to maintain authenticity through the next generation. The next Grand Wagoneer, along with the B-Segment Jeep, are expected to bow in 2016.
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I just hope it's not as ugly as the new Cherokee. Plus, the Commander was basically a failure. Is there really room for another vehicle to compete with the Grand Cherokee? What Jeep really needs that we've been asking for is a Jeep pickup. It could fill the spot of a midsize truck.
Wood veneer on the sides. REAL wood. Or don't bother.
Chrysler stepped on their **** when they cancelled the Grand Wagoneer then killed off the Ram Charger. Since then, millions of Suburbans, Tahoes, Jimmys, Broncos, Expeditions, Sequoias and Armadas (plus luxo badged siblings) have sold. And it's almost FREE money as a full-size Jeep SUV could run down the same assembly line and share most of its part with Ram trucks. The Cherokee is good, but not quite the same thing.
OK, I have to admit that the Imperial Grand Wagoneer Conestoga Landau 5th Ave is a great name, and Chrysler needs to trademark it NOW...LOL... But keep in mind that this new vehicle will replace the Durango as a 3 row SUV in their line up, as Fiat wants to reduce the redundancy in the line ups... So you have some captive market already, and then, like has been stated, others will buy it if it's positioned and built correctly without all the parts sharing.