[TIME]

With Dodge now claiming the exclusive rights to the SRT badge we knew Jeep wouldn't be keen to cut its largest margin maker, so they renamed it instead.

Car and Driver via Allpar told us way back in October that FCA had trademarked Trackhawk, instantly alarm bells went off. The Hellcat had just debuted and was replacing the old 6.4 HEMI as top dog, it couldn't be long before Jeep followed suit.

So just what is Jeep up to? Well making money namely. Some people are wondering just who is going to have the appetite to swallow an $80,000+ Jeep, I know exactly who. They drive Range Rovers and already cross shop the Grand Cherokee quite seriously. Mike Manley knows this intimately "Some of that competition has not been so evident because either we’ve been through product portfolio changes or they have been through product portfolio changes. But they are the only other pure SUV brand in the world so they will always be competition."

But its not just Range Rovers that are cross shopped, Manley also noted that the top trim Grand Cherokee Summit is cross shopped with the BMW X5 as well.

But lets take this one further because we're talking Trackhawk here. Remember the Range Rover SVR -the bonkers sporty model with a supercharged V8- that JLR debuted last year, to the tune of $111,400? Well turns out the largest market for that truck has been NYC which indicates to me that RR is hitting the sweet spot in the Upper East Side. JLR says they've moved about 1,600 SVR's to date , for those of you keeping score at home that's $178,240,000 in generated revenue, you don't think FCA and their bleeding balance sheet want a piece of that pie?

Don't believe me? Fine, just ask Sergio Marchionne what he thinks. “When I see a Range Rover on the street, my blood boils, because we should be able to do a thing like that and we will.”

 

[BlackHawk]

Giving more power to it is lower oil prices which in turn would mean more americans willing to stretch for a gaz guzzler compared to before when it was off their list.

 

[TIME]

Giving more power to it is lower oil prices which in turn would mean more americans willing to stretch for a gaz guzzler compared to before when it was off their list.

I don't think thats a good motivator to judge popularity. Oil prices fluctuate, I'm sure FCA is aware. I don't think they're that dumb to announce a product over a year out tied to trending oil prices. They're aiming at people who are relatively insulated against rising oil prices. Well not insulated, but they won't be underwater if their cost of fuel increases say 25% in a month...

 

[BlackHawk]

I think the current state of the market is good enough for this truck to last well, just not sure what the rise in gas prices will be like in the future and the trend for that.

 

[Jeepers]

I think that Jeep is perfectly evolving to become a direct competitor to Range Rover, and I think that once that evolution is complete, they will be even more successful than Range Rover. People love supporting American products (in America) and that will take Jeep a long way.

 

[JeepersCreepers]

How loyal are Range Rover buyers? I know that Jeep has a large following willing to pay up but will they be able to draw the Range Rover owners to their side?

 

[Jeepers]

I would think that Jeep customers are more loyal than Range Rover customers. Jeep has such a strong American aspect to the brand that really attracts people.

 

[JeepersCreepers]

Imagine is those 1,600 Range Rover buyers went on to buy the Jeep Hellcat? The money Jeep would make if you factor that in along with the Jeep enthusiasts will be astronomical!

 

[BlackHawk]

I would think that Jeep customers are more loyal than Range Rover customers. Jeep has such a strong American aspect to the brand that really attracts people.

I think Range Rover owners are loyal, there's nothing on the market exactly like them, I know a lot of owners that have continuously upgraded to every new RR that has come out rather than venturing out to other brands.

 

[Jeepers]

I think Range Rover owners are loyal, there's nothing on the market exactly like them, I know a lot of owners that have continuously upgraded to every new RR that has come out rather than venturing out to other brands.

I'm not saying that they aren't loyal, I just think that Jeep customers are more loyal. I'd be interested to see some actual numbers though.

 

[BlackHawk]

That's true, I think it has to do with how much those owners are willing to know about the vehicle they're buying along with the options they have with what they have to spend, Jeep owners seem to be more passionate.

 

[Jeepers]

I just see Jeep as a patriotic and American brand. Land Rover I don't think has quite the same nationalistic connection.

 

[BlackHawk]

I just see Jeep as a patriotic and American brand. Land Rover I don't think has quite the same nationalistic connection.

They don't have that specific connection but they do have a connection with being some of the best SUV's out there and people overall understand that.

 

[Jeepers]

They don't have that specific connection but they do have a connection with being some of the best SUV's out there and people overall understand that.

Agreed. Again I'm not taking anything away from Land Rover, just comparing it to Jeep.

 

[BlackHawk]

Agreed. Again I'm not taking anything away from Land Rover, just comparing it to Jeep.

Little to go off of when comparing them.

 

[Jeepers]

Just a matter of public opinion. Brands are abstract so its all a matter of opinion.

 

[BlackHawk]

Just a matter of public opinion. Brands are abstract so its all a matter of opinion.

That's true, good point.

 

[TIME]

well FCA this article has over 200 thousand views... build the fekkkerrrr

 

[BlackHawk]

I'm sure they can bring it to market when ever they want but it all comes down to timing, right timing in business is key for all the internal and external things going on.