It seems the rumor mill is spinning out word that Jeep has canceled plans to build the Grand Wagoneer – the high-end competitor slotted to compete with vehicles like the Range Rover. Early speculation had put the Grand Wagoneer debuting for the 2019 model.
The news comes from Autoline Daily, which cites speculation from AutoForecast Solution, a company that provides automotive business planning. The purported problem stems from engineering problems with the Grand Wagoneer’s chassis. The luxury SUV was slated to ride on a widened and lengthened version of the unibody platform that underpins the Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. AutoForcasts Solution says the platform could not support a full-size SUV with three rows.
Autoline did add speculation to the news, supposing the Grand Wagoneer could borrow the Ram 1500’s ladder frame chassis. That move is plausible given the Ram’s rear suspension uses a multi-link system with coil springs, just a many modern body-on-frame SUVs do. If this were the case, the Grand Wagoneer would become a competitor to the Cadillac Escalade, as Truck Trend points out. We would also add the Infiniti QX80 to that mix.
However, we find it incredibly hard to believe the engineers at Jeep can’t make the Grand Cherokee’s chassis work. After all, the Durango is already 11.4 inches longer than the Grand Cherokee and has a five-inch-longer wheelbase.
What’s more, FCA boss Sergio Marchionne seems to be smitten with the idea of the Grand Wagoneer competing with big-time players like the Range Rover and Jeep CEO Mike Manley confirmed the three-row luxury Jeep in a conversation with Motoring. Last but certainly not least is the spied silhouette rendering of the entire future Jeep lineup, including the range-topping SUV, at a dealership meeting back in October.
The final nail in this rumor comes from an unnamed inside source that very recently told Truck Trend the Grand Wagoneer and its less-luxurious brother, the Wagoneer, are both still headed to production.
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from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2gQOrbo
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