The Jeep brand of Auburn Hills’ Stellantis is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the former Willys-Overland Co. signing a contract with the U.S. War Department to produce the first military Jeep. In doing so, it is looking to an electrified future for the popular vehicles.
“We’re celebrating our 80th anniversary by continuing to move upward and forward,” says Christian Meunier, CEO of the Jeep Brand for Stellantis. “We’re expanding our portfolio into new segments, with the three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L, while setting a strong foothold in the premium SUV market, with our all-new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.”
Next in Jeep’s global product pipeline is the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee, which will be equipped with plug-in-hybrid 4xe technology.
“We are fully committed toward a vision of zero emission future, and by 2025 we will be offering a zero-emission fully electric Jeep 4xe in every SUV segment,” Meunier says.
Recognizing the milestone anniversary and honoring its zero-emission vision, the Jeep brand posted the 80th Anniversary version of the Jeep Life Electrified video on YouTube. The video debuted during the recent 2021 Stellantis’ EV Day event. The video showcases the electrification of the Jeep brand through a couple’s love story. It intertwines Jeep brand vehicles, future technology, and the global Jeep community to establish a promise for a brighter future ahead. The piece features Bastille’s new song, “Give Me the Future,” also out today.
“We are committed to make Jeep the greenest and most exciting SUV brand,” says Meunier. “The electrification of the Jeep lineup will allow commuters to travel solely on electric power, delivering an efficient and fun on-road experience and offering an ability to enjoy even more off-road capability in nearly complete silence.”
In Related News: Jeep introduced two updates to the 2021 Wrangler Wednesday at the Chicago Auto Show, the Xtreme Recon Package with 35-inch tires for $3,995, and the Sunrider Flip Top for Hardtop for $895.
“As an icon built around 80 years of unmatched 4×4 capability, the Wrangler has always pushed the limit of what a Jeep can do off road, and the new Xtreme Recon Package with 35-inch tires straight from the factory pushes that limit even further,” says Jim Morrison, vice president of Jeep Brand North America. “While the Xtreme Recon Package sets the benchmark for 4×4 capability, the easy-to-use Sunrider Flip Top for Hardtop fortifies Wrangler’s open-air spirit.”
Customers can now order the Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon package on the Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited 3.6-liter automatic with eTorque and the Wrangler Rubicon 392. Production at the Toledo Assembly Plant will start in August.
The Sunrider Flip Top for Hardtop is available on all Wrangler models and offers a front-row soft top that flips back for an enhanced open-air driving experience.
