Fiat-Chrysler unveils the Jeep Renegade (segment B)
- The Fiat-Chrysler group (FCA) has unveiled a new small Jeep (segment B), whose name refers to an old model of the brand: The Renegade. This model wass the brands first car to be launched on the the world market. This was also the first Jeep to be produced in Europe, if we set aside the Jeep Willys manufactured under license in the 50s by the French company Hotchkiss and the Grand Cherokee made in the 90s by the Austrian Magna-Steyr.
- The new Renegade model is on the same segment as the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008, Opel Mokka and Chevrolet Trax, i.e. the mini-SUV segment (segment B).
- Jeep has developed this model by tapping into Fiat’s component bank, including the platform of the Fiat 500 which has already been used for the Fiat 500L and Fiat 500L Living. A "Fiat version" of the Renegade Jeep will also launched in a few months (Internally to the group it’s named the 500X).
- Both models (Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X) will be manufactured in the common Fiat plant of Melfi, in southern Italy, where is currently manufactured the Fiat Punto, that seems to have an unsure future. The small Jeep expands the range of the manufacturer downwards while the Fiat 500X will replace the Sedici derived from the old Suzuki SX4. Fiat expects the production levels of the Renegade to reach 150 000 units per year (50 000 in Europe and 100 000 for the rest of the world), Inovev expects it will reach 120 000.
