Seventy years ago, the beginnings of what we now know as the Jeep brand sprang to life under the Willys-Overland moniker. After moving from banner to banner with the likes of Kaiser and AMC, the world-renowned off-road marque now lives under the Chrysler umbrella and has earned enough cachet to be a victim of genericized trademarking, although one could argue worldwide recognition is even more important.
"The Jeep brand's legendary heritage and capability has made it iconic - well-known and loved throughout the world," said Mike Manley, President and CEO - Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "No other automotive brand has ever been able to provide a lineup of vehicles to safely take owners wherever they want to go, whether on-road or across the most rugged terrain they can find.
"For 2011, Jeep continues to improve the formula," Manley added. "We started with the all-new Grand Cherokee - the ultimate premium SUV, blending a new level of on-road refinement and efficiency with unmatched Jeep capability. And we are making significant improvements across the Jeep lineup that will continue to delight our customers."
The 2011 Jeep lineup consists of the following vehicles:
- Compass -- compact crossover to be updated for 2011
- Grand Cherokee -- long-lived full-size SUV gets significantly revised for 2011
- Patriot -- midsize SUV to be updated for 2011
- Wrangler -- iconic soft- and hard-top off-roader continues to bear the image of its forefather
- Wrangler Unlimited -- the quintessential Jeep with four doors