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Attack of the Clones

3K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  arudlang 
#1 ·
Jeep itself seems to have trouble understanding and maintaining it's own persona, but others can copy it well enough.


https://www.toyota.com/upcoming-vehicles/rav4/


The current Rav 4 is a reliable and decent car, but has zero off-road capability and is really boring to drive (IMO it is the automotive equivalent of being roofied - afterward you aren't sure if you remember it). That's about to change. 2019 Compasses, on the other hand, will still be burning oil and inventing new electronic glitches as they drive.

Even freaking KIA is advertising its vehicles doing challenging off road trails:

 
#3 ·
The biggest enemy of the Jeep brand, for decades, has been corporate Chrysler now FCA. This is because they have always simply focused on selling vehicles, right now, with no real plan for the future. If people will buy "Jeeps" with 2wd and 6 inches of ground clearance, they are fine with that. But in the long run that dilutes the Jeep brand down to being just another SUV. "Easter eggs" and "since 1941" badges are just marketing hoopla. The since 1941 thing is especially silly when it's on a touchscreen.
There is of course a huge market for 2wd SUVs and awd's with no actual off road ability. That's fine, take the same basic platforms but sell them as Dodges. But "jeeps" should start off at what is now the Trailhawk level and go up from there.
Trailhawk Plus Jeeps (who knows what marketing would actually call them, but you know what I mean) would still be the same basic SUV platforms but would have a lot more built in utility. For example prewiring and switches installed for auxiliary lighting, or control logic that can accept a wide range of tire sizes. A real off road mode that accepts things like lowered tire pressures without setting off a warning. Prewiring and a physical location arranged for an air compressor and winch. Auxiliary power source, either a small generator or battery pack. Electronic lockers and swaybar disconnects. Height adjustable suspensions. I could go on like this for a while.
 
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