Jeeps to be Made in China by 2015

[wayoflife]

As some of you know, this has been covered before but, it looks like a done deal now. Just read an article on AllPar and, it looks like with the exception of the Wrangler, most of the Jeep models being built today are slated to be built in China as well and starting with the all new KL Cherokee...

Jeep Deal for China Production by End of April


Jeep brand CEO Mike Manley says Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will most likely have completed a deal for production of certain Jeep models in China by the end of the month.

According to comments made during a phone interview with Reuters, Manley said he hopes the announcement can be made at the Beijing International Auto show that opens Monday, April 21.

“It will be ideal if I can get the timing right for the Beijing show, but I’m not at the stage to say that definitely,” Manley told Reuters’ Bernie Woodall.

The Jeeps would be built in Hunan Province at the Changsa plant FCA operates in a joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. The plant currently produces the Fiat Viaggio, a clone of the Dodge Dart.

Company officials have not committed to a specific model that would be the first to be produced under the new deal, but there have been indications it would be the the new Cherokee, which shares the CUSW platform with the Dart/Viaggio. The new Renegade would likely be the next model to be added to the line.

About the only Jeep model not on the table for China production is the Wrangler, which FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne has promised will be produced only in Toledo.

If all goes well, China production would begin early in the third quarter of 2015.

Published on AllPar:
http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2014/04/jeep-deal-for-china-production-by-end-of-april

 

[Canvas JK]

Looks like I will only be buying a Wrangler from now on.


R/
Will


Sent from my fRuit product using WAL

 

[pastorwug]

Looks like I will only be buying a Wrangler from now on.


R/
Will


Sent from my fRuit product using WAL

Yup! :yup:

 

[PNWjeeper]

I want to know if this means they will be moving production from US or Canada to China or if China will just be adding to the already existing production of certain models.

 

[Tigereye10]

Welp at least the Wrangler will still be made here thankfully, that's the only Jeep model I would want to own (nothing against the other models) I just prefer the Wrangler's good looks :thumb: lol

 

[Sudz]

everything else is made in china so whats the big deal?

american heritage? that died a long time ago

 

[JeepFan]

This is really hard for me to fathom :grayno: but at least the Wrangler will continue to be built in Toledo! :yup:

 

[Serg5000]

I have not read the article. But isn't that one of the bailed out companies? This is how they repay the American people. WTF.

 

[wayoflife]

I want to know if this means they will be moving production from US or Canada to China or if China will just be adding to the already existing production of certain models.

My understanding is that they will just be adding to existing production of every model with the exception of the Wrangler. While I understand their desires to tap into the growing Chinese market, it just would have been nice if they could have made it possible to employ Americans to make these vehicles and export them to China. I know that's near impossible to do with the all the taxes and tariffs there are but, we'll never be able to level out the trade imbalance we have with them if nobody tries.

Having said all that, my biggest concern still lies within the fact that Jeeps being made in China will mean parts will be made there too and I have little doubt that more and more of them will find their way back here in the US.

 

[Sharkey]

Having said all that, my biggest concern still lies within the fact that Jeeps being made in China will mean parts will be made there too and I have little doubt that more and more of them will find their way back here in the US.

Look at the upside. If they started making Wranglers in China, maybe you could get a Tom Wood's drive shaft with crappy Chinese gold seal u-joints and a crappy Chinese TeraFlex tire carrier straight off the Jeep assembly line. :cheesy:

 

[Serg5000]

Make no mistake. We will have plenty of china made parts to choose from.

 

[wayoflife]

Look at the upside. If they started making Wranglers in China, maybe you could get a Tom Wood's drive shaft with crappy Chinese gold seal u-joints and a crappy Chinese TeraFlex tire carrier straight off the Jeep assembly line. :cheesy:

Dude, that isn't even funny :crazyeyes:

 

[wayoflife]

Make no mistake. We will have plenty of china made parts to choose from.

Surprisingly, not on current JK's anyway. A lot of our parts are made in Canada, Mexico and a few other obscure countries but there really aren't too many things on it made in China.

 

[AllAmericanInfidel]

I understand the need to produce vehicles for sale in China with the extremely high taxes and tariffs, but if the new Grand wagoneer is going to have a bunch of Chinese parts, there goes my plans for the next family vehicle. Hopefully the vehicles made here will avoid all of this. Weve passed on a few good deals on Durangos and another Land Rover to see how the Grand Wagoneer pans out.

 

[Serg5000]

Surprisingly, not on current JK's anyway. A lot of our parts are made in Canada, Mexico and a few other obscure countries but there really aren't too many things on it made in China.

Being able to produce parts at much lower cost it seems almost inevitable.

 

[wayoflife]

Being able to produce parts at much lower cost it seems almost inevitable.

For sure it's totally inevitable - it's also unfortunate as it typically also means lower quality.

 

[Strike Force Zebra]

Just ask Teraflex.... Oh ya and add in some engineering issues too.

 

[leximann]

Glad the Wranglers are safe! Not gonna lie I loved my 2001 Cherokee sport, but it didn't have 4x4, so my JK now is a huge improvement!

 

[MrHooah04]

I would have liked them to at the least consider state side investment for new plants..unfortunate.

 

[JeepKing]

everything else is made in china so whats the big deal?

american heritage? that died a long time ago

It is a big deal actually. China made goods equate to poor quality. They substitute ingredients, parts, chemicals, formulas without telling our American businessmen obviously. China made jeeps? I must be dreaming. Wait until my wife hears this:doh: