Is the World Ready for a $140,000 Jeep?

The Jeep brand can seemingly do no wrong, at least on its balance sheet, but are consumers ready to shell out six figures for a top-flight SUV with a seven-slot grille?

That’s the price range Jeep plans to probe with its upcoming Grand Wagoneer, the uppermost of two luxury vehicles designed to slot above the Grand Cherokee, Auto Express reports.

Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Jeep brand head Mike Manley claimed that the Grand Wagoneer concept was “moving forward,” and will compete — ideally — with the likes of Range Rover, Porsche and BMW.

“I don’t think there’s a maximum price ceiling per se for Jeep,” Manley told Auto Express. “If you look at the upper end of the segment in the US, for me, the Grand Wagoneer done well can compete all the way through this segment.”

While he feels that there might not be an upper limit to price, Manley admits that, well, there might be an upper limit. The model needs to establish itself first, he said.

“I’ll use US dollars, but pushing the car up to $130,000 to $140,000 may be possible,” said Manley.

If Jeep can pull off the necessary build quality and luxury trappings, it could prove a very lucrative move. As Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ top breadmaker, the automaker has made clear its plans to tap every market, be it geographic or socioeconomic.

Not much is known about Jeep’s future luxury vehicles, expected to bow as 2019 models, except that they’ll ride atop a version of the next-generation Grand Cherokee platform. In fact, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne isn’t even sure