Key Takeaways
- Jeep CEO believes complexity reduction is vital for a mass-market brand.
- The company offers a wide range of models, trims, and powertrains, which can be confusing.
- The Wagoneer S is the first step with availability of only one trim to simplify the buying process.
Jeep’s new CEO, Bill Peffer, continues to consolidate the brand and recently said the brand’s trims could stand to be cut down. Speaking with The Drive, he says that as a mass-market brand, it’s important not to make things too confusing for the consumer, ensuring there’s a clear focus that’s easy to understand. As the former head of Maserati, he knows a thing or two about simplifying a lineup.
“We are a mass market brand. We do sell things in volume—much broader than, say, Maserati was. Complexity reduction is something that happens constantly, and we probably could stand to do a little bit more of it. One of the ways that we’re tackling complexity is coming to market with a product like Wagoneer S with one configuration.”
The Jeep Lineup Is Massive
Head over to the Jeep website, and you’re greeted by 12 different models, as the Renegade and Cherokee are still listed. Ignoring those, the 10 others are full of different configurations, powertrains, and trim options that range from comfortable city cruisers to capable off-roaders. The Grand Cherokee alone offers 34 different configurations, ranging from the $36,495 Laredo A to the $79,150 Summit Reserve 4xe.
Jeep To Revive An Iconic Model… With A Twist
Jeep’s CEO said we can “probably guess what it will be called.”
The Wrangler lineup can be had in Sport, Sport S, Willys, Rubicon, Sahara, Rubicon X, Rubicon 392, and Rubicon 392 Final Edition, then either in two or four-door versions, depending on the trim. Once you factor in the powertrains, you start to understand that Jeep’s freedom of customization is a gift and a curse, which has helped to gain it a widespread following along with mixed reliability ratings. “So, [that] to me is what’s interesting about complexity reduction. Not only do you have efficiencies that you generate but fewer opportunities to make mistakes,” he went on to say.
It Begins With The Wagoneer S
The Wagoneer S is not only the most powerful Jeep ever produced, but it’s also the first model in a very long time that’s only available in only one trim for now. The Launch Edition comes with all the bells and whistles Jeep has to offer, and takes the decision-making out of the buying process. On top of this, it’s also the first of the new Wagoneer models to be branded Jeep as the company changes it plan to make Wagoneer a sub-brand..
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“We’re going to simplify our product range and do things like bringing the Jeep brand to Wagoneer, and converge it into the model lineup, which has been a question on a lot of people’s mind for a lot of years,” said Peffer at the 58th annual Easter Jeep Safari. “The dealers applauded when we said we were going to do that.”
Source:
The Drive
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