Jeep® “Whole Again” OFFICIAL COMMERCIAL

It’s been a rough few years under Barack Obama.

The ad would be more convincing if Jeep didn’t open up jobs in China this month and not America.

Here is the video …

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne announced the plans in mid-January.

The Detroit News reported, via The Examiner:

“As part of our global expansion of the Jeep brand, there are some cars — that because of the price position in the market — can never be made in the U.S. and exported,” Marchionne told reporters on the sidelines of the North American International Auto Show. “We’re going to be announcing the first step in the globalization of Jeep (in China). There’s another one that’s going to come in Russia. These things are part of a natural process of expansion.”

Marchionne said he will keep “the pillar cars of the Jeep (brand) in the United States. Wrangler is one. The Grand Cherokee is another. These are things that need to be protected because they represent the best and the essence of Jeep. If you tell me I cannot make a Patriot somewhere else, I might as well go out of the market.”

If America is ever “made whole” again, it likely won’t be because of Jeep.

Yes it is sickening, but cheap cars are made in China not the USA.

Whoops: PolitiFact’s ‘Lie of the Year’ Turns Out to Be True

Last month, PolitiFact selected its “Lie of the Year.” Given PolitiFact’s dubious record of singling out Republicans for lying far more often than Democrats, you probably could have guessed the winner of this particular sweepstakes was a Mitt Romney campaign ad:

It was a lie told in the critical state of Ohio in the final days of a close campaign — that Jeep was moving its U.S. production to China. It originated with a conservative blogger, who twisted an accurate news story into a falsehood. Then it picked up steam when the Drudge Report ran with it. Even though Jeep’s parent company gave a quick and clear denial, Mitt Romney repeated it and his campaign turned it into a TV ad.

And they stood by the claim, even as the media and the public expressed collective outrage against something so obviously false.

“Public expressed collective outrage”? That’s essentially wishcasting on the part of PolitiFact, nor are they accurately representing what Mitt Romney said in the ad. In fact, here’s PolitiFact’s original “fact check” on the matter:

[Mitt Romney] Says Barack Obama “sold Chrysler to Italians who are going to build Jeeps in China” at the cost of American jobs.

Ok. Now here’s what the Reuters reported earlier this week:

Add another dat point, PolitiFact Lies. Antother useless Democrat mouthpiece.

Libtard Media Owes Romney an Apology – Chrysler Sends Jeep Jobs to China

Remmber when the librtards criticised Romney for telling the truth? Yep about Jeep going to China.

Despite the Obama Campaign’s lies about the Catholic Church and Mitt Romney not paying taxes, the left-wing Politifact made Romney’s Chrysler China ad their “Lie of the year.”

So what is the truth now Politcifact???

Today Chrysler announced they were building Jeeps in China.

USA Today reported:

Fiat and Chrysler Group have reached an agreement to expand passenger car manufacturing and sales in China, officials said Tuesday.

Under the agreement, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd. will build one Jeep model in China for Chrysler for sale in China. A specific model was not announced.

Zeng Qinghong, general manager and chief executive of Guangzhou Automobile Group, and Mike Manley, Jeep president and CEO and head of Chrysler’s international operations, signed the agreement at Chrysler headquarters here.

In September, Guangzhou began building the Fiat Viaggio in China.

I wouldn’t buy a Chinese built car, period. What China lacks is the material scieces, the things that make bolts storng. among other technologies.

Here She Is … 2014 Grand Cherokee

A few updates are in store for the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and while we’ve told you about them before, we’re now getting our first glimpse at the refreshed SUV without all the heavy camouflage.

Up front, new headlights with LED running lamps flow into a new front fascia design with a smaller seven-slat grille and some curvy bodywork that flows up underneath the headlamp clusters. (With the black tape still covering part of the fascia, can anyone else see a bit of Chrysler 300 in those headlights?) Revisions have been made to the Jeep’s lower front end, as well; and all in, it’s not as aggressive (or handsome) as the current model. Also, we’re not sure how we feel about the flat gray panel that surrounds the grille on the Laredo model, though it’s unclear whether that’s actually a production piece. We’ll hold off making up our minds about the new styling, for certain, until we see the fully baked SUV.

At the back, subtle tweaks have been made to the taillamps (LEDs have been added – surprise, surprise), and the tailgate has been ever-so-slightly redesigned.

The big changes for 2014 lie under the Grand Cherokee’s hood – most notably, the addition of a 3.0-liter diesel V6 for the US market. As we reported earlier, this will be a massaged version of the oil-burning six sold in Europe, and should be good for about 237 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Cherokee will also get a new ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission.

Look for the 2014 Grand Cherokee to officially bow at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Production is estimated to start in the spring of 2013.

More here:

Jeep Sales Up In October 2012

Jeep® Brand

Two Jeep models had a record-setting month in October. Sales of the Jeep Wrangler were up 14 percent, a sales record for the month of October. The Jeep Patriot, the best-priced compact SUV in America, posted an 18 percent increase, also establishing a sales record for the month of October and the largest sales gain of any of the Jeep brand models.

For the third consecutive year, the Jeep Grand Cherokee – already the most awarded SUV ever – captured the “SUV of Texas” award at TAWA’s Texas Truck Rodeo in October. Grand Cherokee sales were up 8 percent in October versus the same month last year. In addition, the Grand Cherokee was named “Full-Size SUV of Texas” and the ultra-premium Grand Cherokee Overland Summit retained its “Full-Size Luxury SUV of Texas” title. The rugged Wrangler was awarded “Mid-Size SUV of Texas” for the third year in a row.

For the third consecutive year, the Wrangler was recognized as the “Hottest 4×4 SUV” at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in October in Las Vegas.

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1rzq7)

Marchionne’s letter on Jeep production in U.S.

Somebody is shading the truth…

Here’s what the relevant portion of Marchionne’s memo, published in full at the Detroit News  actually says:

We also are investing to improve and expand our entire U.S. operations, including our Jeep facilities. The numbers tell the story:

- We will invest more than $1.7 billion to develop and produce the next generation Jeep SUV, the successor of the Jeep Liberty — including $500 million directly to tool and expand our Toledo Assembly Complex and will be adding about 1,100 jobs on a second shift by 2013.

- At our Jefferson North Assembly Plant, where we build the Jeep Grand Cherokee, we have created 2,000 jobs since June 2009 and have invested more than $1.8 billion.

- In Belvidere, where we build two Jeep models, we have added two shifts since 2009 resulting in an additional 2,600 jobs.

With the increase in demand for our vehicles, especially Jeep branded vehicles, we have added more than 11,200 U.S. jobs since 2009. Plants producing Jeep branded vehicles alone have seen the number of people invested in the success of the Jeep brand grow to more than 9,300 hourly jobs from 4,700. This will increase by an additional 1,100 as the Liberty successor, which will be produced in Toledo, is introduced for global distribution in the second quarter of 2013.

AUTO BAILOUT BOMBSHELL: Fiat Says Chrysler, Jeep Production May Move to Italy

Last week it was Jeep moving to China when it was just parts production. But now it really is all Jeep production which Fiat is discussing, they want it back in Italy for the jobs most likely. It’s all about jobs who gets them who loses them…

Report: FIAT now says Jeep may move to Italy…:

Coming hot on the heels of speculation that some Jeep production may be moved to China comes a bombshell from a Bloomberg report. Fiat is now considering moving Chrysler and Jeep production to Italy.

According to the piece, “To counter the severe slump in European sales, (Fiat CEO Sergio) Marchionne is considering building Chrysler models in Italy, including Jeeps, for export to North America. The Italian government is evaluating tax rebates on export goods to help Fiat. Marchionne may announce details of his plan as soon as Oct. 30, the people said.”

So, let’s be real clear here, we are talking about vehicles that will be built in Italy and exported to America. The evidence is clear that Fiat is looking at ways to move production of vehicles from the US to elsewhere, whether it be China or Italy, costing American jobs. This is becoming indisputable, despite outcries from certain parties to the contrary.

Mitt Romney has rightfully criticized the Obama Administration for handing over Chrysler to the Italians and now leaving the fate of American workers in the hands of Fiat management. Fiat is not a healthy company and the auto industry is in as great a risk as ever. The insistence that all is well by those with political motivations does not mask the danger. More jobs are at risk of being lost and more taxpayer money may be lost as well.

Let’s face it, the auto bailouts were not well thought out. Perhaps General Motors’ CEO, Dan Akerson, said it best when he said, “The good thing about our bankruptcy is that it took only 39 days. The bad news is that bankruptcy took only 39 days. If we had been there longer, people would have asked these questions and looked at these things.”

The whole auto industry bailout process was rushed through with the wrong primary motivation of protecting the politically powerful UAW’s interests. The Obama Administration never considered that giving Chrysler to Fiat was not a great idea and could eventually hurt the same UAW workers it was trying to protect. Manufacturers like Chrysler and GM are at a competitive disadvantage due to UAW obligations that were not properly addressed in the bankruptcy process. The industry is more competitive than ever and the government does not seem to be the best innovators to lead the sector to real health. This truth is very likely to become more apparent when the political season ends.

Bailout Sales Success

From a Chrysler press release

Jeep brand sales were up 24 percent in May compared with the same month a year ago, the brand’s best May sales performance in 12 years and its 25th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Jeep Wrangler, the brand’s volume leader for the month, set an all-time sales record in May with its solid 44 percent sales increase. May sales of the Jeep Liberty mid-size SUV were the best since 2007.

Sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the most awarded SUV ever, increased 40 percent in May, the model’s best May sales since 2005. For the second year in a row, the Grand Cherokee was named “Premium Mid-Size SUV” in AutoPacific’s “2012 Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction” Awards. Also in May, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was named “Performance SUV of Texas” at TAWA’s Texas Auto Roundup.

Chrysler Readies Factory for Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel

Chrysler Group LLC said it will add a third work crew to its Jefferson North assembly plant to build a diesel-powered version of the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV for the U.S. market.

It is a risky move because while diesels are hugely popular in European and Asian markets, their success in the U.S. has been spotty at best. Indeed, Jeep rolled tried a diesel Cherokee here a few years ago but the vehicle, called the CRD, did not catch on with consumers.

The latest move to offer a diesel Jeep reflects the sense at Chrysler and across the auto industry that a growing number of U.S. buyers consider diesel an economically sensible alternative to gasoline.

The car maker said the new Jeep project will add 1,100 new jobs at the Jefferson plant, which currently has about 2,890 employees.

The engine is expected to be the same 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 offered in Europe, which produces 237 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. It should be significantly more fuel efficient than the Grand Cherokee’s gasoline engines; in Europe, the diesel Jeep is rated at the equivalent of 28 combined mpg.

The engine is reported to be VM Motori V6 Diesel Engines Used by Chrysler.

The new announcement follows Chrysler’s decision late last year to reopen its Connor Avenue plant in Detroit to turn out the next generation of the company’s SRT Viper sports car. Viper production had ceased in 2010, leaving the car’s future in doubt. The loud, fast, fuel-guzzling Viper has a small but fervent following.

While it is a textbook case of automotive impracticality, its formidable reputation on the race track makes it a big image booster for parent company Chrysler. The Connor Avenue factor will have almost 150 employees. The next-generation Viper will return to the market late this year as a 2013 model.

Grand Cherokee sales climbed 51 percent in the United States during 2011 to 127,744 units, while Durango sales hit 51,697 units in its first full year back on the market.

Off-road enthusiasts have long pleaded for diesel engine options across the Jeep lineup because of the diesel’s torque and fuel efficiency.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 in high demand

Australia’s ever growing appetite for rugged American SUVs has secured a quarter of the world’s Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 production when the vehicle goes on sale in June.

Global production of the 6.4-litre HEMI V8-powered Grand Cherokee is limited to just 4,000 units per year, a decision that guarantees to keep the ST8s exclusive and in high demand. Australia is considered one of the larger takers of Jeep vehicles outside of North America and has been a strong market for the new Grand Cherokee since the vehicle went on sale in 2011, with the diesel variant remaining the most popular.

Chrysler Australia expects an allocation of around 1,000 right-hand drive SRT8s to satisfy local demand. Nonetheless, more than 250 customers have already put down a deposit and many more have expressed solid interest, despite no word on price.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was first unveiled at the 2011 New York motor show and has already gone on sale in numerous other markets.

With 347kW of power and 630Nm of torque, the SRT8 accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds, making it one of the fastest SUVs in the world and certainly the fastest SUV for under $100,000 in Australia.

It’s not just a case of putting a big V8 in an SUV, though. Chrysler’s Street Racing Technology (SRT) team have made significant changes, such as lowering the vehicle by 30mm, adding a new spoiler, rear diffuser and dual sports exhausts. You also get active damping suspension (via the Selec-Terrain system) which allows drivers to choose between track, sport auto, snow and tow.

The success of the Grand Cherokee has led a new resurgence for the Jeep brand worldwide, with the company taking the lead role in international expansion for the Chrysler group (following a decision to withdraw Dodge from many international markets).

Jeep is expected to launch a new standard Australian Cherokee next year with the Patriot and Compass to follow in late 2014.