To celebrate these and other Jeep milestones, visitors to the Motor Show will be shown three outstanding classic models: a 1941 Willys-Overland MB, a 1946 Willys Wagon and a 1963 Jeep Wagoneer. As further confirmation of Jeep's path from past to present, the new 75th Anniversary special editions will be showcased on the stand and available at dealerships across the region starting in the second quarter of 2016, featuring an exciting new livery, celebratory badge and exclusive interiors and equipment.
The Jeep legend continues with the debut of Cherokee Overland price class, the new top-of-the-range model that combines the brand's legendary off-road capabilities and even more sophisticated and elegant features. The spotlight will also be on the Jeep Renegade Dawn of Justice Special Edition starring in the upcoming "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" movie, and the exclusive Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night, the most recent example of the fastest and most powerful Jeep vehicle ever. The display at the stand (5130, Hall 5) will be complemented by an exclusive one-of-a-kind Cherokee showcar designed by Garage Italia Customs.
Jeep History and Milestones
Tracing the 75 years of history that connect today's Jeep range to the first original 4x4 of 1941 means browsing some of the most legendary pages in books of the modern automotive industry.
It all started in 1941 with the production of the unstoppable Willys-Overland MB. In 1945, at the end of the war, it was transformed into the first non-military Jeep, named CJ-2A ( "CJ" stands for Civilian Jeep), which became the first modern off-road vehicle.
The legendary U.S. brand also pioneered the SUV segment, one which is particularly appreciated by the public. It was 1946 when the Willys Wagon, a station wagon with a closed body entirely made of steel, rolled off the lines (its four-wheel-drive version dates back to 1949). Since then, Jeep has led the evolution of this category by continuously introducing innovations, like the Jeep Wagoneer, the forerunner of today's Grand Cherokee, which created the Premium Large SUV segment in 1963. Peculiarities of this model included an automatic transmission (fitted for the first time on a four-wheel drive) and a modern, functional body suited for city streets and dirty trails.
Two decades later, in 1984, the Jeep Cherokee (XJ) was launched. With this model, which was the first SUV with a unibody, Jeep introduced a further innovation and created a new category of SUVs. The new chassis allowed for increased rigidity, considerably decreased weight and improved fuel efficiency. A similar leap forward was made by Jeep in mid-1992 with the first generation of the top-of-the-line Grand Cherokee, which over the years would define the new reference standard in terms of style, quality and performance in the Premium SUV segment. The flagship would be enhanced over the next three generations with new technological features to perfect the car's on- and off-road handling capacities and achieve unprecedented levels of excellence.
Another Jeep milestone was in 2007 with the launch of the Wrangler Unlimited, the only open-air, four-door 4x4. The Wrangler - first launched in 1987 and currently in its third generation - is the direct descendant of the original 1941 Willys-Overland MB and the expression of the most authentic Jeep values. The success of the model is due to many factors, but above all for its natural flair for customization, as demonstrated by the sequence of special versions, some in limited edition, that have been launched over the years. Each one celebrates an important anniversary or grueling location where Wrangler is known to show off its best attributes, while ensuring a peerless driving experience every time.
A new chapter in the brand's legendary history was opened in 2014 with the launch of Renegade, the first Jeep to enter the increasingly relevant Small SUV segment. Built in Italy and sold in more than 100 countries worldwide, Jeep Renegade was the first in its category to fit a nine-speed automatic transmission for superior performance both on- and off-road. And, it was the first SUV in its segment to come with rear axle disconnect combined with state-of-the-art 4x4 Jeep Active Drive and Jeep Active Drive Low.
75th Anniversary Special Editions
It is a Jeep tradition to celebrate key anniversaries or the conquering of inaccessible places with special editions. And today, to celebrate its 75 years of history, the legendary brand is introducing the 75th Anniversary special edition offered on all models of the lineup and available in dealerships in the second quarter of 2016.
Produced in limited quantities - 8.000 units only for the entire EMEA region - all celebratory models are distinguished by a new livery, a 75th Anniversary badge, Low gloss bronze rims, bronze and orange exterior inserts and exclusive interiors with seats sporting the 75th Anniversary logo in relief.
Visitors to Geneva will see four examples, including the Renegade 75th Anniversary edition sporting a unique Jungle Green livery and equipped with a 1.4-liter Turbo MultiAir II 170-horsepower engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and the class exclusive Active Drive 4x4 system. The equipment includes 18-inch Low Gloss Bronze rims, the exclusive MySky sunroof with removable panels and new, specific fabric seats with Tangerine stitching.
The spotlight will also be on the Jeep Cherokee 75th Anniversary edition with a Brilliant Black livery, the new MultiJet II 2.2-liter 200-horsepower turbo diesel engine with Jeep Active Drive II 4x4 system with two-speed power transmission units and low mode, Nappa leather seats with dual tone Tangerine/Pearl stitching, 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen radio, bi-xenon headlamps and dual pane panoramic sunroof.
The 75th anniversary version will be available with both Jeep Active Drive I and Jeep Active Drive II systems.
The iconic Jeep Wrangler has received similar treatment. The 75th Anniversary edition for this model boasts a Sarge Green body and comes equipped with a powerful 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar engine. Standard equipment includes body-colour grille with slots and low gloss bronze headlamp surrounds and grille throats, Power Dome hood with functional air vents, limited slip differential, navigation system with premium sound system, Ombre Mesh leather seats and body-colour dual top.
The lineup is completed by the Jeep Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary edition featuring a Brilliant Black livery and powerful 3.0-liter V-6 MultiJet 250-horsepower engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Equipment is comprehensive and includes 20-inch light alloy rims, navigation system, and Quadra-Lift air suspension that adjusts ground clearance to five different levels for improved driving dynamics on- and off-road.
Jeep Cherokee Overland
Jeep Cherokee Overland, the new top-of-the-line model that combines sophisticated style, elegant interiors, premium equipment and the brand's legendary off-road prowess, is making its debut in Geneva.
The showcased model has a new Light Brownstone livery and comes equipped with a 2.2-liter MultiJet II 200-horsepower turbo diesel engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The exterior of the new Cherokee Overland features a polished bright front grille, new body-colour door cladding and wheel flares, new 18-inch polished bright aluminium wheels, standard HID bi-xenon headlamps and Overland badge on the tailgate. Its refined looks are complemented by a rich host of premium enhancements, including a leather-wrapped instrument panel (optional), power front driver and passenger seats with four-way lumbar adjustment, a new steering wheel with wood inserts, anodized silver trim, Nappa leather ventilated and heated seats with the Overland logo, Berber mats, Alpine Premium sound system, Uconnect radio with 8.4-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, GPS navigation and memory driver's seat, radio and exterior mirrors.
Standard on the Overland are also panoramic sunroof, power tailgate, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Crosspath Detection and ParkSense front and rear backup assist system.
Jeep Cherokee Overland will be available in markets across Europe starting this summer.
Jeep Renegade Dawn of Justice Special Edition
The Jeep Renegade Dawn of Justice Special Edition pays homage to the model's silver-screen debut in the "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" movie to be released in March. Based on the Longitude trim level, the Jeep Renegade Dawn of Justice Special Edition has a bold appearance, a stunning Granite Crystal livery and a host of polished black painted accents, like the 18-inch alloy rims, the fog lamp and rear light cluster surrounds, the grille and the Jeep badge. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter MultiJet II 120 horsepower engine with six-speed transmission.
The Jeep Renegade Dawn of Justice Special Edition will be available in selected markets across Europe starting this month.
The limited-edition Jeep Renegade is part of a broader partnership between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the Warner Bros. Studios film "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" that will allow the vehicle to be exposed to an incredibly vast audience, thanks also to its unique and dark appearance package.
The Renegade presence at the motorshow will be completed by a Trailhawk version fitting Jeep Active Drive Low traction system and equipped with an efficient 2.0-liter MultiJet 170-horsepower turbo diesel engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Coming with a Solar Yellow livery and black leather interiors, the car has 17-inch alloy rims, tinted windows, skid plates, Hill Descent Control, tow hook, TPMS, two-zone climate control and a selection of Mopar accessories.
Key Mopar equipment includes specific bright black elements, such as the sticker on the door, the grille and mirrors, and an extreme off-road stance.
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night
In Geneva, Jeep will be presenting a new limited edition of the fastest and most powerful Jeep ever, the Grand Cherokee SRT Night. It features a stealth-like appearance with the front grille bezels, B and C pillars and side window surrounds all adorned in Matt Black. The front applique is Satin Black, as is badging on the bonnet and rear liftgate. 20-inch wheels are also finished in an exclusive Satin Black and are designed to showcase the Grand Cherokee SRT Night standard Brembo brakes. Unique interior appointments include the luxurious Black Laguna leather seats with Silver accent stitching, leather-covered door armrests and centre console including light Black Chrome bezels. Available colors for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night include Velvet Red, Billet Silver and Granite Crystal.
When it comes to performance, the SRT Night is powered by a 6.4-liter V-8 that delivers 468 horsepower (344 kW) and 624 Nm of torque. Performance includes 0-100 km/h acceleration in less than 5 seconds, quarter mile (400 meters) in the mid-13-second range and a top speed of 257km/h.
The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and SRT Night come standard with exclusive Performance Pages that have been revised with an expanded array of performance timers and gauge readouts, while all-new drive modes allow Grand Cherokee SRT owners the ability to personalize their driving experience both on-road and on-track.
In addition, standard launch control mimics a professional driver's inputs to optimize Grand Cherokee SRT's performance by bringing engine, transmission, driveline, stability control and suspension in line for a textbook launch.
The Selec-Track system on the Grand Cherokee SRT uses performance-tuned software to distinguish the five dynamic modes: Auto, Sport, Tow, Track and Snow, enabling drivers to choose a vehicle setting that ideally meets their requirements and ambient conditions.
-- Press release courtesy of FCA
