Is the Gladiator at risk for cancellation?

[Eggy99]

?

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[Sandevino]

I think it’s a great platform but the mid-sized truck buying public is fickle and hasn’t bought into it as FCA had hoped for many reasons others have covered. The biggest downfalls are the anemic powertrain, expensive creature features, overall perceived reliability and cost compared to similar options in the market.

FCA bet the farm on brand loyalty and Jeep enthusiasts buying a Gladiator when needing a truck.

 

[Chaos Theory]

Jeep will be fine, but 16mpg, naturally-aspirated engine vehicles are not long for this world. The hybrid or EV versions will need to be as capable as current models, and if that happens, they'll continue to sell to those who can afford them, which is fewer by the day.

 

[TinMan2020]

I thought maybe the Gladiator said something controversial and was at risk of getting cancelled…

LMAO.
I think is far more likely for a Jeep OWNER to say something and get themselves cancelled than for Jeep to do that.

 

[Eggy99]

You know you have a management problem when a dealer tells you I can sell you a 23 cheaper then this new 22 because Jeep isn’t giving me as many incentives on this 22

 

[ShadowsPapa]

"Just something to listen to while you're wrenching in the shop".

Yeah, that's about all these video podcasts are good for. Great if you're bored and have nothing else to listen to.

I was about to suggest similar.
Oh, good gawd, not ANOTHER youtube moron looking to make a few bucks SPECULATING on numbers with no real knowledge of even the world in general. Why do people spend so much time with such things?

And of course, here we go again, thread number 143 of "is the Gladiator doomed" and all of the posts speculating as if THEY know because- well, it's price, no, it's interest rates, no, it's CAFE or EPA or no, it's this or that and back and forth all the armchair experts doing nothing but just tossing out pure speculation at best, guessing at worst, based on what there was for breakfast that day.

So here we are, another "is this the last year for Gladiator" thread based on a YT video of all things.
"Well, he sounds smart to me, so maybe he's right............. "
OK, whatever.

Page 8

https://actionnetwork.org/user_file...091/original/Stellantis_HourlyHighlighter.pdf

But does any youtuber bother to dig into anything that might contradict their own speculation? No, it means fewer clicks, less money, and even more important to too many youtubers, less attention.

I thought maybe the Gladiator said something controversial and was at risk of getting cancelled…

Maybe it's why ION TV won't show reruns of certain episodes of some TV shows - over and over they skip season x, episode T of a show - and I try to figure out what was said or shown in that episode that they won't air it?

I guess some Gladiator said something not PC or showed a bit too much mud.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Uh, Comanche doesn't fit at all - go check the real history books there. Iacocca wanted just certain things and was going to trash anything else - and he did. He lied during negotiations, he lied to the UAW workers, he lied over and over to get what he really wanted.

I've talked to some of the insiders - those involved with AMC/Jeep from back then. The Comanche would likely have lived on but for Mr. Rape and Pillage himself.
I've also talked with VAM historians - too bad others speculate as to causes instead of digging into facts.

Jeep would have gone totally under but for AMC - and things were looking up, but Renault killed all their cash (another company that moves in and rapes and pillages and leaves only bones behind - Renault). And then came along Chrysler - it was them who killed Comanche - I mean, it competed with existing lines in Chrysler and Iacocca wanted the Grand Cherokee and some engine designs and other stuff, told everyone scrap all the rest. His mark was on Comanche even as early as 1987. He signed the death certificate.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I think it’s a great platform but the mid-sized truck buying public is fickle and hasn’t bought into it as FCA had hoped for many reasons others have covered. The biggest downfalls are the anemic powertrain, expensive creature features, overall perceived reliability and cost compared to similar options in the market.

FCA bet the farm on brand loyalty and Jeep enthusiasts buying a Gladiator when needing a truck.

Younger buyers losing the love affair with the pickup. It's been the title of multiple articles in the last few months. It's a big deal. Truck buyers are aging out, younger people don't want trucks.

Competition is getting crazy - a lot more companies competing in what used to be a small group to choose from for mid-size.

 

[IPRoutes]

If they get cancelled, it will increase the value of the remaining trucks.

 

[HankB]

Uh, Comanche doesn't fit at all - go check the real history books there. Iacocca wanted just certain things and was going to trash anything else - and he did. He lied during negotiations, he lied to the UAW workers, he lied over and over to get what he really wanted.

I've talked to some of the insiders - those involved with AMC/Jeep from back then. The Comanche would likely have lived on but for Mr. Rape and Pillage himself.
I've also talked with VAM historians - too bad others speculate as to causes instead of digging into facts.

Jeep would have gone totally under but for AMC - and things were looking up, but Renault killed all their cash (another company that moves in and rapes and pillages and leaves only bones behind - Renault). And then came along Chrysler - it was them who killed Comanche - I mean, it competed with existing lines in Chrysler and Iacocca wanted the Grand Cherokee and some engine designs and other stuff, told everyone scrap all the rest. His mark was on Comanche even as early as 1987. He signed the death certificate.

That is an interesting perspective and it makes perfect sense. The one thing Chrysler lacked in the time frame was a decent SUV line to compete with Broncos & explorers and blazers & suburbans. And by getting Jeep they got the marketing benefit of owning the origin story. About the only thing they could have done better from a marketing point of view would have been to buy Land Rover.

 

[LostWoods]

Did you sell your gladiator?

Yup. It's fun for what it is but it tries to do too much. It not big enough for big truck stuff, too long for a lot of wheeling stuff, and it's a shit daily compared to anything else. I think that's the great weakness because aside from time in the dirt or the looks, there's zero reason to buy one over a Tacoma... especially now that the Taco has much more power.

So back to Toyota in a 4Runner for a better daily and a YJ to get the buggy treatment for when I want to be stupid. The 5x8 I have fills in the lack of bed and I don't really tow more than that anyway.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That is an interesting perspective and it makes perfect sense. The one thing Chrysler lacked in the time frame was a decent SUV line to compete with Broncos & explorers and blazers & suburbans. And by getting Jeep they got the marketing benefit of owning the origin story. About the only thing they could have done better from a marketing point of view would have been to buy Land Rover.

I spoke directly with one of the design engineers. He was responsible for the Pierre Cardin interior in Javelin, but also involved with Jeep. The Grand Cherokee was on the board. He was around when there were tours and meetings. Iacocca wanted that Jeep - he wanted Jeep. There were also magnum engine designs - AMC engineers were working on new engine designs and the 4.0 was taking off (thanks for VAM - it was the Mexican partner that really came up with the ideal behind the 4.0) and moving the 4.0 off RENIX to different injection systems would be easy for Chrysler.
But after the Renault fiasco, they were again cash-poor and didn't have the money to take things forward.
AMC employees said that they were promised jobs, promised it would be like always, but as a part of Chrysler. The ink wasn't even dry and orders came out to destroy parts, dumpster things.
Some people I know took advantage and went out and bough up parts, including out of dumpsters, many many sheet metal parts, body parts - all scrapped. A guy in eastern Iowa has racks of 1980s Jeep sheet metal parts - fenders, grills, bumpers, etc., all new. Wish I could recall his name! He's the guy I got my 4.0 from. You can still hit the Kenosha homecoming "garage sales" and find a lot of stuff like that - former employee "hoards".
Go to the Kenosha homecomings and the AMO banquets, you get some first-hand history.

 

[Deleted member 57233]

Younger buyers losing the love affair with the pickup. It's been the title of multiple articles in the last few months. It's a big deal. Truck buyers are aging out, younger people don't want trucks.

At least within my group, people are buying clean older trucks for cheap to do actual truck stuff with, and buying SUVs for all the family hauling, camping, adventuring, etc.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

At least within my group, people are buying clean older trucks for cheap to do actual truck stuff with, and buying SUVs for all the family hauling, camping, adventuring, etc.

Always exceptions to "trends". One can say Millennials do this or that, and find many exceptions. Same for any generation, Z on up. There are trends, but not everyone follows along.
Clean older full size trucks sell like crazy here - to young and old. Midsize - not so much. We're mostly a "full size truck" state. Again - trend, not rule. Mostly, not all.

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