The latest version debuts...
The latest version debuts at next week"s Geneva Motor Show, and will be at dealers by the end of the year. Blue oval bosses expect the cars to disappear so quickly they"ll leave tyre marks!
To be unveiled at next...
To be unveiled at next month"s Frankfurt Motor Show, the duo will arrive in 2007, aimed at bringing younger buyers to the brand. The Compass Rallye (top) is about the size of a Toyota RAV4, and sits above the Wrangler in the range. A five-door five-seater, it gets a traditional Jeep grille with a raised, butch MPV-style body and extended wheelarches. Design cues include rear door handles hidden in the door pillar.
On the inside, bosses promise a flexible cabin with "no-nonsense functionality" and a sliding rear bench seat. Under the skin is a permanent four-wheel-drive system, with power coming from a range of new engines, inclu-ding VW"s 140bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. Expect the production version to start at around í‚á£14,000. Meanwhile, the Patriot is a more traditional off-roader. Targeting Land Rover"s Freelander, it"s slightly smaller than Jeep"s current mid-sized model, the Cherokee.
Official details remain secret ahead of the debut, but the car is said to showcase Jeep"s new rugged design with a bold nose, big wheels and high ground clearance. As with the Compass Rallye, the Patriot will seat five in a flexible interior and use the VW diesel.
However, with more advanced 4WD - which could feature Land Rover-style hill descent control - this Jeep is said to be a true 4x4 and the "most capable vehicle in its class". Due after the Compass Rallye in 2007, the Patriot will cost around í‚á£17,000.