Thought for the day: Before you even consider building a Jeep Pickup make sure you're going to have enough serious customers to make it work.
The Jeep brand had a long history of building pickup trucks. Kind of causes problems when RAM is under the same Chrysler umbrella. Last year there was a glimmer of hope for a Wrangler based pickup truck. Since then, Mopar has released a clever JK-8 pickup conversion kit. The $5,499 JK-8 kit allows owners to do the work themselves with just a sawzall and angle-grinder.
Sales as of September were about 300. Was this a litmus test to see how serious the Jeep community was about a Jeep Pickup? Not sure, but as of September 19, the Jeep Pickup hopes are on hold for a while.
Last word from Jeep CEO Mike Manley on September 19th was that Jeep Truck idea is still a high priority, but that it won't see production until 2015-2016 (if at all). Of course, that may change with Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionni's push increase Jeep vehicle sales internationally. Mid November came news that the Toledo Assembly Complex would receive a 500 million dollar investment with production to begin in 2013.
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Make sure you're serious.
Before you even consider buying a Jeep Pickup make sure you're looking for a serious truck. Because this one's more than a bed attached to a cab. It's a truck designed and built to outperform the field at the things you need a truck for. That's why we call it The Performance Truck.
THE PERFORMANCE TRUCK WORKS.
It can hold more cargo and haul a heavier payload than comparable 4-wheel drive Ford, Chevy or Dodge pickup trucks. And still gets about the same gas mileage as all of 'em. 16 EPA EST MPG, 21 HWY EST.
THE PERFORMANCE TRUCK GOES.
With 2-wheel drive when you want it and Jeep's legendary 4-wheel drive when you need it. 4-wheel drive that's built in from the ground up, not added on like its competition's.
THE PERFORMANCE TRUCK ENDURES.
95.8 percent of all Jeep vehicles registered in the last 10 years are still in operation today. Another tough performance that Ford, Chevy and Dodge can't match.
THE PERFORMANCE TRUCK WINS.
Jeep Pickups took 1st place in the SCORE Off-Road World Championship, the Mint 400, Baja 1000, Parker 400 and Baja Internacional. Once again outperforming, well, you know who.
All this and a price designed to take on the competition. So why settle for less? Name the terrain. Jeep truck performs.
