Wheaton, Illinois (April 27, 2017) – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles hosted
MAMA members at the historic Danada House in Wheaton on Thursday, April 27, for lunch and to show off the new 2017 Jeep Compass and the upcoming 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Jeep Compass Brand Manager Kim Japinga also talked about the brand’s recent market performance.
Before discussing the capabilities of both the Trackhawk and Compass, Japinga went over the brand’s recent history. Last year, 2016, marked the seventh year of sales growth for Jeep both in the U.S. and internationally. It’s the fifth straight global sales record for Jeep, and the third straight year of global sales that exceeded one million.
Global sales increased 13 percent to 1.4 million and U.S. sales were a hair under a million at 926,376, which is an increase of six percent.
The Compass will be offered with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 180 horsepower and three transmissions – a six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic and a nine-speed automatic. It will be available with two-wheel and four-wheel drive and offered in four trims – Sport, Latitude, Limited and Trailhawk.
Available features include a dual sunroof, power liftgate, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, UConnect infotainment system, navigation system and satellite radio.
The Trackhawk is a high-powered version of the Grand Cherokee that features a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that makes 707 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. It has an eight-speed automatic transmission and upgraded Brembo brakes, and Jeep projects a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph.
Other available features include 20-inch wheels, UConnect infotainment, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
None of the vehicles were available for driving, but Jeep representatives did fire up the Trackhawk to allow assembled media to hear it run.
Don’t forget that the 2017 MAMA Spring Rally is coming up, with our track day at Road America taking place on May 24 and off-road, autocross and Family Vehicle of the Year evaluations taking place on May 25.
[Photo credit: Larry Nutson, Chicago Car Guy and The Auto Channel]
