US SUV classic brand, Jeep, has always struggled to make a mark on British shores, the domestic market preferring to stick with the local ambassador, Land Rover, but that will change if FCA boss Sergio Marchionne gets his way.
Jeep is launching four new models into Europe in 2018, in what the brand’s European bosses are calling the ‘Year of the Jeep’. The new line-up which is spearheaded by the Compass, will be followed up by a new Cherokee, a Renegade and an all-new Wrangler.
Speaking with autocar.co.uk this week, Jeeps’ new European boss, Jeff Hines, said that 2017 had been disappointing in terms of sales in Europe, but that it was expecting a lot better in 2018 and is aiming the 2m sales mark, which would be an improvement of 600,000 vehicles in a year.
If this is to be the year of the Jeep, in the UK at the very least, it will have to tackle the obvious local threat – Land Rover and Hines is calling on dealers to assist. The dealerships will be key in helping the brand communicate their new models in a way that is easy for customers to understand.
“What some customers may not realise is how the great dynamics and interior can make a Jeep a great daily driver that can fit all your needs,” Hines told autocar.
The new Renegade is likely to be available from June 1st when Jeep will present all their brands to the public.