Report: Jeep eyeing entry-level pickup market?

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(2005 Jeep Gladiator concept)

Report: Jeep eyeing entry-level pickup market?
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Jun 21st 2010 at 12:27PM

All hail the Jeep Comanche? Well, not exactly. But the old XJ-based single cab pickup certainly has something of a loyal fan base. The same can be said of every other pickup truck the Toledo-based off-road specialists have ever created, including the classic CJ-8 Scrambler. And the darn-near-perfect-in-every-way Jeep Gladiator concept from 2005 got nothing but rave reviews from everyone who saw it at the Detroit Auto Show.

So, perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise that our friends at PickupTrucks.com are reporting that Jeep is once again considering entering the pickup truck market. Apparently, newly minted Jeep CEO Mike Manley has his eyes on the segment globally and believes that the concept of a Jeep pick 'em-up-truck has some profitable legs.

Considering that the Ford Ranger continues to sell in reasonably decent numbers despite not seeing any real updates since the Jurassic period and that the Mahindra pickup has generated a good bit of interest before even hitting the American scene, we have to wonder if there may be some pent-up demand for a small, capable pickup in America. In any case, don't expect any sort of official comment from Jeep... but feel free to keep your fingers crossed.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/21/report-jeep-eyeing-entry-level-pickup-market/

Is Jeep Looking to Re-enter the Pickup Truck Market?
Posted by Mike Levine | June 20, 2010

Jeep hasn't offered a pickup for sale to consumers in North America since the 1992 Jeep Comanche, but the idea continues to be kicked around its halls. Mike Manley, president and CEO of the Jeep brand, expressed great interest in the compact and midsize pickup truck market in a recent interview during the media's first drive of the 2011 Grand Cherokee.

?That?s a segment that I?m very curious about,? Manley said. ?I know it?s had a rough time here in the U.S., but globally it still seems to be an important sector.?

As CEO, Manley has profit and loss responsibility for Jeep?s global portfolio, so he?s driven to make sure everything Jeep does can make money. As a result, he said he ?s looking for every opportunity to expand the brand, as well as make sure it stays true to Jeep's heritage. But could that mean a pickup?

?I know there?s a lot of elasticity in the Jeep brand globally, so we?re not limiting our search for new-vehicle opportunities or new markets,? Manley said.

Interestingly, when discussing the future of Jeep, Manley was quick to go back to some recent pickup truck concept vehicles, but without calling any of them by name. They?ve kept coming in a steady cadence during the past decade.

An apparently production-ready Jeep Scrambler made a brief appearance at the 2003 NADA convention in San Francisco before it was suddenly pulled after only a few hours. Nothing was heard from about that truck again. In 2005, Jeep showed the well-received Gladiator Concept. In 2007, there was the Jeep JT and in 2008, the J8 Sarge. Most recently, we drove the awesome Jeep Nukizer 715 in Moab, Utah, earlier this year at Easter Jeep Safari.

Manley?s background is deep with international sales and marketing experience, so he?s very familiar with Europe, Asia, and China, where small trucks are big business. He was originally brought on during the DaimlerChrysler days to work with international sales and distribution.

Before this current job as Jeep?s CEO, Manley was in charge of sales and global product planning operations.

Although no information or confirmation was given about future products, we were encouraged to hear that there might be some playful thought being given to expanding the Jeep brand in a pickup truck direction.

It wouldn?t surprise us if a futuristic-looking Kaiser pickup truck appeared at one of the big auto shows by next year, based on the overwhelmingly positive response the Nukizer 715 received in Moab. We can only hope.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/06/is-jeep-looking-to-reenter-the-pickup-truck-market.html

Do it Jeep!!!!!!!!!!......................And sell it in the United States.;)
 
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And once again I find myself thinking that buying new again could be a good idea.
 
That side-mounted spare looks awesome! The whole package looks pretty good actually, though in my experience, Jeeps don't drive particularly well on road, and the bed looks a bit narrow...
 
That's an old concept, likely nothing like what could come to market.
 
I'm normally not a truck guy but I kind of like it.
 
nukizer-500x333.jpg


Nukizer 715. NOW.
 
I'd rock one.
 
Give it a good diesel and we're done. That means no crappy V6, Chrysler.
My thoughts exactly. They should've been offering a diesel for years.
 
That's an old concept, likely nothing like what could come to market.

If the compact pickup was based off of the Wrangler (which I'm guessing it might), it'd look something like that. You can only restyle a Wrangler so much.
 
DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even better, build me a JT. That's what I want. I will buy one, from a dealership, new. I promise.
 
I was always majorly disappointed that they didn't build the Gladiator. I mean, it's not that complicated. Stick a pickup bed on a Wrangler, done. Instant awesome.

DO IT JEEP!!!
 
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That looks brilliant and I don't normally like pick-ups.
 
Dear Chrysler,

Please take a moment to pull the cock out of your ear; in case you can't I'll speak up:

*ahem*
BRING US A GODDAMMED DIESEL WRANGLER!

Sincerely,
Blind_Io
 
I like Wranglers, hell I like Jeeps in general, lord knows I like Trucks......sorry but I'm just not feeling this :dunno:
 
Keywords:
Jeep, entry level, future model

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https://pic.armedcats.net/k/kn/knarkas/2010/06/22/fiat-strada-cabine-dupla_02.jpg
 
thats awesome! as long as it doesnt catch fire and there is an srt8 option ill take one!
 
American Expedition Vehicles has sold a kit for while now called the Brute for the older TJ models, but the kit itself costs about $9k. I would love to see a regular production model from Jeep.

Some pics of AEV's Brute.

DSC_2508_d.jpg


ba_brute_campsite_d.jpg


DSC_3161_d.jpg
 
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