DETROIT — The chief executive officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said today during a news conference at the North American International Auto Show that Toledo will lose the Jeep Cherokee but will keep the Jeep Wrangler and make a Wrangler pickup.
Sergio Marchionne said more details about the company's plans for its Toledo Assembly Complex and other Fiat Chrysler plants will be released on Jan. 27 when the automaker releases its fourth-quarter financial results.
"You will build the Wrangler pickup shortly after the launch of the new Wrangler, which should be operational sometime by the end of next year," Mr. Marchionne said.
He said design of the next gen Wrangler is complete.
"It's going to become clearer I think when we release the results on the 27th of January," Mr. Marchionne said.
PHOTO GALLERY: North American International Autoshow
But in a second news conference, Mr. Marchionne said the Cherokee, the hottest selling Jeep vehicle, will depart the Toledo Assembly Complex, though he provided no time frame. Fiat Chrysler officials have confirmed that Toledo will keep making the vehicle through 2016.
But when that moves, that factory that makes the Cherokee will be converted to make more Wranglers. The assembly complex also will make a Wrangler pickup truck, which officials previously had hinted might happen.
Last fall, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a four-year labor contract with the United Auto Workers that outlined plans for new products at the Toledo Assembly Complex in 2017 and 2018. But details were not provided in the contract.
Fiat Chrysler also promised in the contract the UAW that no jobs would be lost, including those at suppliers Mobis and Kuka who are on site at the Toledo complex.
More generally, Mr. Marchionne portrayed Fiat Chrysler as a company that's made strong headway in significantly improving the quality of its cars and trucks since 2009.
The company has recorded year-over-year sales growth in 69 consecutive months.
"That has happened not because of the fact the I've discounted vehicles," he said. "Our margins and our operations have improved. It's happened because of the fact there's brand equity and there's value in what we're selling to the customer."
Fiat Chrysler had its best sales year in 2015 since 2005. Both the Wrangler and Cherokee set new annual sales records.
First Published January 11, 2016, 5:42 p.m.
