FCA boss Sergio Marchionne has revealed that unless something unexpected happens, the next-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee will use the same Giorgio platform as the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio.
During an interview with Autocar at the Detroit Auto Show, Marchionne said that a feasibility study was currently being completed into the viability of building the new Grand Cherokee on the Giorgio platform and that if all goes well, an Alfa-based Jeep will hit the market in 2018 or 2019.
“The most natural application of a further evolution of the Alfa Romeo platform is the Grand Cherokee. We’re finishing off the study now, but I’m going on the basis of the latest information, which is that it will be the basis upon which the Grand Cherokee will be developed, unless something happens in the next 60 days that suggests it isn’t doable.
“That would really complete the story of architectural development for us because I think it would certainly nail in a big piece of the Jeep story,” Marchionne said.
It is thought that it cost Fiat Chrysler Automobiles almost $1 billion to develop the Giorgio platform so it makes sense that it’ll be used by multiple models.
Jeep had originally intending on launching the new-age Grand Cherokee this year but confirmed its delay in mid-2015 after FCA’s product schedule shown in 2014 stretched out further than expected.
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