Is Jeep the Marlin of the American Auto Industry?

[Lunentucker]

After several failures in the firearms industry, I think Marlin has found a good place to exist under the Ruger umbrella.
Ruger has the resources, quality, and leadership that the brand has desperately need to return to its former glory.

So that got me thinking about Jeep.
Stellantis seems to be to Jeep what Remington was to Marlin, trying to capitalize on the name and not much else. Now that seems to be catching up to them.
I also think they enjoyed a couple of good years during the Covid shortages for no other reason than they could deliver inventory while other makers were stuck in the chip shortages, so CJDR vehicles were pretty much all that was out there if you wanted a new car or truck.

I really do think the Jeep brand deserves better than Stellantis.

So with that in mind, who should be the company that saves them this time?
What automotive giant can be Jeep's Ruger?

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[kevman65]

Tesla......

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

AMC

 

[Sweetums]

AMC

You mean the former owner of Jeep?

The brand is looking like an Albatross, AMC owned them and was absorbed by Chrysler so they could get Jeep.
Chrysler failed and "merged" with Daimler-Benz.
Daimler-Chrysler failed and Chrysler was sold to Fiat to form Stellantis.
Stellantis is now struggling to make any of their brands sell.

Everyone seems to want Jeep, until recently it's been the only brand in whatever portfolio that makes money. I'm not even mad at Stellantis, it's actually impressive that they could make a vehicle as fun as Jeep un-sellable.

 

[kevman65]

As I've said before, the European model doesn't work in the States.
Been proven time and time again.

 

[Lunentucker]

I was wondering if someone like AEV or Realtruck had the financial weight to take them on.
I used to think a company like Toyota could do wonders with them, but they seem to be having a lot of the same issues, and their reputation is running out of momentum as their quality degrades.

Maybe Caterpillar, since the AI generated CAT pickup was such a huge hit.

 

[sharpsicle]

I was wondering if someone like AEV or Realtruck had the financial weight to take them on.
I used to think a company like Toyota could do wonders with them, but they seem to be having a lot of the same issues, and their reputation is running out of momentum as their quality degrades.

Maybe Caterpillar, since the AI generated CAT pickup was such a huge hit.

AEV and Realtruck are tiny in comparison, and are above all else aftermarket companies. Not only that, but they run their business on the heels of all the truck manufacturers not just Jeep. Them taking on the entire supply chain and manufacturing needs for Jeep themselves is a completely different business segment, and would likely fail in short order while creating internal and external conflicts. They're just not set up to do that.

Similar considerations for CAT. Yes they make vehicles, but in much different ways and in a much different economic segment. To have a company like CAT try to run a consumer-facing automotive brand would be a huge shift for them; they just don't have that experience.

Ruger taking on Marlin is more akin to GM taking on Jeep. Similar companies in the same market segment. What you're suggesting with AEV or Realtruck would be more like CCI buying Marlin, and that just doesn't make much sense.

 

[Lunentucker]

Great things don't come from people with no imagination.

 

[Sweetums]

As I've said before, the European model doesn't work in the States.
Been proven time and time again.

The Mercedes W123, Mercedes 190, and Volvo 240 would like a word...

 

[00Mutt]

Tesla......

I would be afraid Elon would try to make them all electric. I would fight that tooth and nail.

 

[00Mutt]

Now that I think about this, maybe Oshkosh should take this on. It would be a huge boon to their military truck production plus give them a test bed for future tech. Ultimately, the increased supply of material could make their military side less expensive. ALSO, having Jeep attached to a military supplier would be a boost to their "tough" perception.

 

[Jefe1018]

Jeep will live on, regardless of ownership in my opinion. The brand, the history, even the grill is too iconic and most all keepers have kept the essence of the Wrangler (CJ, etc) and now the JT true.. an off road vehicle first and everything else second.

I feel a lot of folks like the look of the wrangler or JT but hate the impractical sacrifice for off road prowess because they never really use it for its intended purpose. Front suspension bits get under spec and start to wobble… “Wow all
Jeeps must suck and they’re over priced turds and they’re unreliable”.

The enthusiasts like us just LOL, pull out a torque wrench and move on… maybe see it as an excuse for an upgrade. However, we are the minority. There’s a reason the stereotype of daddy’s money for a 19 year old in a brand new Rubicon exist.

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

I could see GMC buying them, they bought the Hummer IP.

 

[Sweetums]

Maybe, I think it's far more likely that an Indian or Chinese company would buy them - they have the capital to do it and don't have a portfolio of competing models. GM could use the Wrangler, but they already have models that compete with the rest of the Jeep portfolio. If they do buy Jeep, expect the Gladiator to be axed and the badge slapped on a Colorado with a turbo 4-cyl.

 

[Sweetums]

That's one way to settle a lawsuit!

"Your Honor, as we have purchased our opposition, we move as both plaintiff and defendant to dismiss this case of copyright infringement."

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