Jeep Needs Some Serious Competition Soon [Op/Ed] - TFLcar.com
That’s why it is high time that an auto manufacturer, besides Jeep, realized that off-road ability and prowess sells. Today’s American new car buyers are looking for cars that do more than just go from point A to point B. They want a car that’s affordable, fun to drive, has blue collar ability with white color sensibility, reflects their values, and can easily... There’s really only one brand that represents these values and that brand is Jeep. And perhaps more importantly, that’s why Jeep is the jewel in the crown of FCA. However, I fear that no other car manufacturer is seriously trying to compete with Jeep. Buick is busy re-branding European Opels and selling them with traditional French American names. Chevy’s and Ford’s most off-road worthy vehicles are trucks. Subaru is busy building cars for dogs. Land Rover and Range Rover and Mercedes can (and do) build off-road worthy cars but you have to give up food and water for a few years to afford one. The Volkswagen group builds and sells several off-road-worthy vehicles including the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, but no one in American can spell or afford one. KIA, Hyundai, Mazda and Mitsubishi are busy building crossovers that don’t really cross over any serious off-road terrain. Lexus builds very capable and very expensive re-branded Toyotas that will go off-road. Source: www.tflcar.com
