Report: Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Wagoneer to Be Body-On-Frame SUVs

Jeep-Crew-Chief-715-Concept
2016 Jeep Crew Chief 715 concept

Why talk about the upcoming and now officially confirmed Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Jeep Wagoneer on a truck site? That’s because a recent report from AutoNews reports a statement from FCA CEO, Sergio Marchionne, to confirm the Grand Wagoneer (and Wagoneer) as a body-on-frame SUV, not a unibody crossover. The new SUVs will be built at a retooled Warren Truck Assembly plant, near Detroit, which now builds the current-generation Ram 1500.

This news is most welcome, because full-size three-row body-on-frame SUVs are very popular right now. General Motors is having great success with the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Escalade models. Oil and auto industry experts suggest that fuel prices will stay low for longer than initially thought. Some industry insiders suggest that low fuel prices will continue for more than two years from now, barring a catastrophic event. This makes a body-on-frame SUV business case more attractive.

jeep grand wagoneer classic 1985
Jeep Grand Wagoneer (circa 1980s)

It’s not clear whether the Grand Wagoneer or the Wagoneer will share the frame and chassis components with the upcoming Ram pickup trucks, a modified version of the Jeep Wrangler frame, or another solution.

We will stay on top of this story and let you know all of the details.

Here is Nathan Adlen driving the Jeep Crew Chief 715 pickup truck concept at the 2016 Easter Jeep Safari.