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

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

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 where they will be built. Regardless, the models are coming, and could borrow components — including engines — from other brands under the FCA umbrella, Maserati among them.

The priciest model currently in the Jeep stable is the 2017 Grand Cherokee SRT, which carries an MSRP of $66,795.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Flipper35 Flipper35 on Oct 07, 2016

    Considering people will spend $30k on a package from AEV for a Wrangler, I can see some of these upper end models selling just fine. Different class, sure, but we are talking about $65-$80 for a Wrangler.

    • See 1 previous
    • S2k Chris S2k Chris on Oct 07, 2016

      Jeep dealer in the fancy part of town here had a $65k Wrangler 4dr in the showroom because it had an aftermarket power top. Crazy.

  • Awdpanda Awdpanda on Oct 07, 2016

    At least with a larger car and possibly higher ground clearance, when a driver misplaces putting the gear in park, you can duck and stay under.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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