We have been hearing for awhile that Jeep wants to take on Land Rover’s Range Rover line in the upper luxury segment and the brand recently confirmed the upcoming Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. It seems that Jeep’s new luxury SUVs will be priced like Rovers as well.
At the Detroit Auto Show, Jeep global chief Mike Manley spoke with Autoblog and laid out some future plans for the Jeep brand. He said that a Wrangler with some type of hybrid setup is under consideration and that Jeep will “look to the past” when it comes to naming the upcoming Jeep pickup. Of course, neither of those statements confirms a hybrid Wrangler or a “Comanche” in the near future.
From Autoblog:
Meanwhile, Jeep also confirmed that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models will return to its lineup in 2020, slotting above the Grand Cherokee and giving Jeep an entry in the upper luxury SUV segment. Manley said the Wagoneers will compete in the $60,000-to-$100,000 price range.
They will be based on a body-on-frame platform sourced from the Ram and built in Warren, MI. “Ever since I’ve been associated with Jeep, in my mind, they needed to come back to the portfolio,” Manley said.
It’s likely that the Wagoneer model will target the Range Rover Sport that has a starting MSRP of $65,650, and the flagship Grand Wagoneer will try to steal buyers from the larger Range Rover that starts at $85,650. Manley also revealed that the next generation Grand Cherokee is due to launch in 2019.
The Grand Cherokee is already popular with folks looking for a luxury crossover and does manage to steal buyers from traditional high-end brands. There’s a good chance the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer should prove to be very successful at snagging customers looking for something even more luxurious with a Jeep badge.