Last Friday, June 1, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles unleashed an onslaught of news about its next five years – ranging from a (possibly) Hellcat-powered Ram TRX to the return of the Alfa Romeo GTV. There was a lot to unpack for Maserati and Jeep, too. FCA has new products slipping filling new segments so the company can capture consumer trends – read: crossovers. Along with new products, the company is also updating several – including the popular, though aging, Jeep Grand Cherokee.

When Jeep updates the SUV, it will receive a new platform. The Grand Cherokee’s current underpinnings are old – a leftover from its Daimler era before its bankruptcy in 2009 and subsequent acquisition by Fiat. However, in the next five years, the Jeep will get a major refresh, and underpinning that new SUV will be the same platform from the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV and the Giulia sedan. 

More News On FCA's Five-Year Plan:

"It started originally off the Alfa architecture, which has now been modified and extended to reach both a two-row and a three-row Grand Cherokee," FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne told Motor Authority. He also noted the platform would be adapted to reflect the requirements of Jeep.

Another advancement the next-gen Grand Cherokee will receive is more technology such as Level 2 self-driving capability that should all the SUV to brake, accelerate, steer, and change lanes on its own. By 2022, Level 3 self-driving assisted technology should arrive for the vehicle.

More Jeep News:

The current-generation Grand Cherokee is a two-row affair with the automaker planning for a three-row SUV in the same segment. By 2022, there will be a new Renegade, a refreshed Compass, a new Cherokee, a Jeep truck, and the return of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. That’s a lot of new products for the company, and ones that will be popular with SUV-crazed consumers.

The new platform will be one of the most significant updates to the Grand Cherokee since the fourth-gen introduction for the 2011 model year. The Grand Cherokee is popular, and a thorough update should help it feel fresh amongst its competitors.  

Source: Motor Authority

Gallery: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk: First Drive

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