Jeep Goes Big at North American International Auto Show

By Detroit Steel - January 10, 2017

Confirmation of New Jeep Pickup and Grand Wagoneer All the Buzz in the Motor City at 2017 North American International Auto Show

There probably isn’t a display area at the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) that is as big and as dominant as the space devoted to Jeep.

Then again, maybe it’s just that as a Jeep fan, I’m a little biased in how I assess the size of the various displays at the show, which kicked off Jan. 9 in Detroit. Either way, one of the things that can’t be argued is the wide range of vehicles that Jeep is showcasing at NAIAS.

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From the new Jeep Renegade Trailhawk to a Willys Edition Wrangler and everything in between, you’d be inclined to think the American nameplate was still celebrating its 75th Anniversary based on the number of Jeeps displayed on the floor of Detroit’s Cobo Center.

The one must-see? Well, that would probably be the CJ Sixty Six 2016 SEMA Concept Jeep that was developed by Mopar, which also has a prominent display at the Detroit Auto Show.

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Of course, the biggest Jeep news coming out of Detroit is confirmation of the Jeep Wrangler pickup truck, and the storied Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.

Sure, news that Jeep will indeed build a pickup really comes as no surprise. But confirmation that the automaker will build the Wagoneer flagship is certainly worth celebrating. Just a couple of weeks ago it was speculated that Jeep might nix production plans for the top-of-the-line luxury SUV due to platform and cost issues.

Now, it appears FCA, Jeep’s parent company, will be investing money into its Warren, Michigan Truck Assembly Plant to retool and modernize the facility in order to produce the all-new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The company will also be investing in Jeep’s south plant of the Toledo, Ohio Assembly Complex in order to build the pickup as part of a $1 billion investment strategy, which is also expected to create more than 2,000 U.S. jobs.