Chrysler CEO: Jeep Pickup Coming, but Don't Call it a Pickup
By Patrick Olsen
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a roundtable discussion this morning that Jeep will introduce a “multipurpose” vehicle that will have a pickup truck-like bed in the back.
Talking about the Gladiator concept that was shown in Florida last year, Marchionne said, “I like that vehicle. I liked it the first day I saw it. There’s a better than 50 percent chance that you’ll get one. Regardless of what Ram says. They’re totally peeved off at the fact that we’re going to have anything that looks like a pickup truck with a Jeep badge on it. I actually think that there’s space for it.”
“So you just said yes to a Jeep truck?” one journalist asked. “I said [yes] to a multipurpose vehicle out of Jeep,” Sergio replied, “with something that they call a truck bed.”
Just don’t call it a Jeep pickup: “It’s an exotic within Jeep.” The reasoning behind this, according to Marchionne, is that the Ram brand is largely a North American name that has not been, in his word, internationalized. Jeep does not have that issue, hence the potential for a “multipurpose” Jeep with a pickup truck bed.
Comments
Bring it!
Diesel!
Diesel!
Diesel!
I am not opposed to this at all!!
Build it and they will come! I'm thinking the 4.2 Cummins V6 will work quite sufficiently, Heck I would even take a Fiat small 4cyl Diesel at that! Good work Chrysler/Fiat!
Yawn , Jeep has been dangling this Red Herring for years , I will believe it when I see it
So it's not a pickup but has a pickup like bed???
Ohhkaaayyy!
A jeep with a detatchable canopy leaving an open bed??
Marchionne talks about jeep having an international reputation.
Question - does Jeep have a similar vehicle already on the world market?
Call it the Nuscrambler
Ciao!
I hope it will not come with a solid axle front...
Nice, but it's not a Nukizer. I have NEVER bought a new vehicle in my life (age 61), but that just might do it.....
Diesel, manual transmission, solid axles, lockers front and rear, low-range transfer case...........now that would be a real truck! Sign me up!
Dodge canned the Jeep Comanchee cause it was better then the Dakota and cutting into the Dakota sales. Now looks like someone has the kahona's to stand up to Dodge. Penastar V6 or 3.0 diesel will be just fine
@ Dave - if the new Dakota is going to be unibody aka Ridgeline, Jeep coming up on the "right" with a true offroader, that would be a win/win for Chrysler.
This will be very hard to say no to IF I made enough money to afford one. Of course if the product comes with an IFS, Dana 35 axles, auto tranny only and a womanized push button 4x4 system then it would be easy to say no to.
@oxi But solid front axles are the fun part! I just hope it doesn't come with all that chrome and crap that crippled the Hummer H3T. It was a nice truck, but it aspiring to a near-luxury vehicle level made it an "off-road" poser!
@everyone
They must be talking a Jeep Hurricane concept!
http://wallpapers-diq.net/wallpapers/17/Jeep_Hurricane_Concept_2005.jpg
Anything with a bed is a pickup! What kinda marketing is this?! An El Camino is a pickup! It's just a passenger car primarily. It's not like you take a car and remove the cover off the trunk.
Please make it a diesel. Even if it's based on the Liberty and not the Wrangler it would be my next vehicle. I've had mixed emotions about my 02 Liberty and vowed not to get another Chrysler product but a diesel pickup would probably get me to sign on the dotted line.
Sweeet!!!
I hope that it is based off of the Wrangler platform...body on frame, solid axles front and rear, Rubicon package, etc!
First one with a Man. diesel wins...
dana 60 axle in back, dana 44 in front, 2.4 liter 197 horse fiat diesel, six speed manual trans, super low crawl ratio transfer case, factory lockers front and rear, 34 inch km2 tires, and were do I sign!
bring it! bring it! bring it! But leave it SFA, put the pentastar in and stick a seat in that little extended cab thing, dont just leave as behind seat storage. Think of the possibilities once the ranger/colorado/canyon/dakota/fridgeline go away......
Wasn't there talk of a Jeep Grand Cherokee unibody truck. Wouldn't be suprised if that's what it will look like. I'd rather have the Gladiator though.
Bring it on!!! Diesel or an optional hemi:)?
les jeepers francais attendent avec impatience, essence ou diesel : no problem !
YES! YES! YES!
In my opinion this is THE best news to come from Detroit in years. I'll buy one in an instant.
And as for all the comments concerning the diesel I say definitely! A 4 cyl. would be a perfect fit!
@oxi
soild front axle is the jeeps gonna go and should go if this is anything like the wrangler jk! if you don't like it find a conversion kit to make it ifs or dont buy it. simple.
Jeep please give use a manual trans. with a diesel.
Bring on a diesel. Fiat makes great, efficiant diesels. But would a Cummins V6 be great. Leave the solid front axle and extend the cab in back a little. whats taking so long to build it!
4cyl diesel with a 6 speed that can tow 6000lbs please!
Well I say yes too! This is the truck that American midsize truck buyers need and want. I think it needs to be a real four passenger cab though, be it 2 or 4 doors, but this is the truck to get people back into Chrysler's dealerships.
Jeep Wrangler JT (use the Wrangler frame, it's ready)
Pentastar V6
Solid Front Axle
6 speed auto or 6 speed manual
There is no way this truck is going to compete with Ram truck sales. Ram owners want a full size truck to do full size work. Prospective Jeep truck (Wrangler JT) buyers are currently buying Japanese midsize trucks because domestic manufacturers lack a worthy competitor in the lineup (GM twins and soft Dakota.) Replace the Dakota with the unibody Rampage and the Wrangler JT fills the niche perfectly.
Chrysler/Jeep: bring us this truck and bring us back to your dealerships!
I have 125,000 on my Lib CRD. Need a replacement truck. Will not buy full size.
IFS and a diesel would be great. A nice auto would be great... don't know of a GREAT manual transmission that is out on the market in trucks these days.
Get outta my way or get run over! I'm gonna be the first in line for one of these!
Now remember the Nukizer is quoted by Manley as being, (at least the hood and grill) a mopar accessory. So keep hope. in a few more days we will know.
Nonetheless, if there is not a Jeep, with a pickup bed, in Detroit next week, Mr. Manley, Your'e FIRED!
So Dodge killed the J Series Trucks...hmmm My money is on Jeep. Bye Bye Dodge.
And the key is...find a way to put a 6' bed on it and some kind of back seat area, and no chrome, please.
Hey Oxi, slap yourself for me will ya??
Jeep:
Diesel Please.
Yes I can have my Verizon IPhone and a Jeep "pickup".
Why stop here? Bring back a real Gladiator- a full size J-10 and J-20.
Call it what-ever,long as it isn't a Ridgeline thing.
I hope there will be a diesel.
I love the gladiator concept. A diesel with a 6 speed manual and the rubicon drive line would have me racing to the dealership.
Yup 6 foot box -diesel option -rubicon package- 32-35 in rubber - a few creature comforts >>>I have been waiting for this for years.
What I bet they come out with is some avalanche/ridgeline p.o.s. grocery getter for wannabe suburbanites
Fingers are crossed though!!!
I've been waiting for this. It has to be a solid front axle though. There are plenty of IFS options out there. Keep this a solid front axle. Also offer a manual transmission. If Chrysler does this, I will buy one.
I AM WAITING .........
Can I be on the customers list???
Lets go I want to buy this thing.
The only thing id replace my Ram w/ before the wheels fall off is w/ either a non HD diesel Ram or a jeep pickup I need a bed but dont need half-ton capacity. But the fuel mileage for the jump up to my 4.7 1/2 ton Ram and slight price difference was not enough for me to buy a small truck. But since I go medium duty fourwheeling quite often I also need a 4x4 the perfect fix would be a jeep w/ a 5ft+ bed
Please say it's true. I want to replace my 2002 Ranger,love my Liberty. Built it,must have diesel.
I'll probably trade in my Mahindra pickup for that....
@ lou: Yes Jeep already has the J8 being made for the foreign market/military. ( http://www.jgms.com/ )
I would love to see a Jeep truck as long as it is not just a copy of the Dakota and with some kind of off road capability (i.e. no IFS...) and a Rubicon version would be neat.
But as mentioned they have been teasing us with a Jeep "truck" for so long now...they obviously know we want one, they need to get something on the market soon.
I hope this Jeeps top isn't carefully engineered like the Wrangler to put all of the roof runoff down your leg when you get in it in a rainstorm. If it misses your leg it heads for the floorboard carpet. Not exactly a tragedy here in the desert, but it could get pretty moldy in the more humid parts of the country...;=)
Put a small turbo diesel in it and you will sell a bunch of them
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