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When car manufacturers need a name for a new model, the process often takes years of idea and focus groups, not to mention legal reviews, but Jeep president Christian Meunier said it was a bit quicker for the Grand Cherokee L, the first three-row model. it has been offered for over a decade.
“We probably hesitated for 30 seconds before we decided to go to Grand Cherokee,” he jokes half-heartedly with FOX Business.
The Grand Cherokee L is a brand new model that fills a gap in the range that has been empty since the commander was discontinued in 2010. Like the SUV, it shares a chassis with the Grand Cherokee with five passengers, the new version of which is also coming later this year.
‘There were some discussions internally, but it was very short. “Everyone was naturally convinced that it was a Grand Cherokee and that it was the right thing to do,” Meunier said.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | Alter | Alter% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCA | FIRST TR EXCH TRADE ALPHADEX FD II CHINA ALPHADEX FD | 29.64 | +0.28 | + 0.95% |
The Grand Cherokee was Jeep’s best-selling model in 2020 with a loyalty rate of 60%, and Jeep’s North American boss Jim Morrison expects the L to build on that by retaining current Grand Cherokee owners who need to move up to ‘ a three-wheel drive vehicle while appealing to others to look for a large vehicle with more off-road capability than the competition offers.
“We think there are a lot of people who will move to the new Grand Cherokee, with the three rows that will offer a lot of new customers to us,” Morrison said.
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The Jeep brand is coming off its best December ever, with the Wrangler and Gladiator pickup each setting records, and Morrison thinks the closing fatigue definitely played a role, as buyers link to the image of freedom in which Jeep leans .
‘We’ve been building the brand for over 80 years, and the customers are based on our brand and because the overall health of our brand is at an all – time high, you know, part of what we’ve been through with our brand, the part of the freedom adventure, ‘he said.
Both drivers expect the momentum to continue until 2021, when it will also launch the Wagon and Grand Driver SUVs with three-wheel-drive trucks, which are even bigger than the Grand Cherokee L and Jeep in yet another segment. move, where Meunier expects nine. out of ten buyers to be new to the brand.
JEEP GRAND WAGONEER BACK TO 3 DECADES
“The customers are different. There are very few cross-purchases between the segments. The size of the product is different. The functionality, the tools, the price point are very different, ”said Meunier.