2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee May Spawn SUVs For Alfa Romeo, Maserati

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Viknesh Vijayenthiran

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Vik is an Editor at High Gear Media and contributor for a number of sites within the High Gear Media network. He was a co-founder of Motor Authority... More

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2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

One bright star in Chrysler’s portfolio is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was developed with former partner Daimler and shares much in common with the next-generation Mercedes-Benz ML SUV.

Fiat bosses are now considering using the big Jeep platform for premium SUV models from Alfa Romeo and even Maserati. A luxurious Alfa Romeo SUV would be a perfect rival for the likes of the BMW X5, Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7, while a Maserati version would compete nicely with upmarket off-roaders like the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover.

The information was revealed by none other than Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne. The Grand Cherokee “architecture has legs. It's important for us to tap all of the hard work that has gone on inside Chrysler on the new Grand Cherokee,” Marchionne stated during a profit announcement conference call. “It has a level of solidity and resilience that we have underestimated.”

Marchionne also revealed that the Grand Cherokee platform can handle more powerful powertrains and that production of any new Alfa Romeo or Maserati versions could start within the next 12 to 18 months at Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit.

Expect the Alfa Romeo SUV to miss out on much of the Grand Cherokee’s off-road credentials, as well as its Hemi V-8 powerplants. Instead, it will likely make do with the latest 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, as well as a turbodiesel option. The Maserati version, meanwhile, will likely be fitted with the 4.7-liter V-8 currently found in the GranTurismo and Quattroporte models.

Importantly, the Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t the only model Fiat is considering for platform sharing. Maserati is also expected to launch a new entry-level sedan built on the rear-wheel drive LX platform underpinning the 2012 Chrysler 300C. 

[Automotive News, sub req’d]