Toledo, Ohio is the birthplace of the Jeep Wrangler, which has been built in this city for decades now. As of late, however, the city of Toledo's right to continue manufacturing the military-styled, off-road vehicle is threatened as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) looks to other cities to build a new manufacturing plant for next-generation vehicles. FCA currently builds the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee in separate Toledo factories and employs 5,000 Fiat Chrysler factory workers.
FCA has been looking for a location to build the next-generation Wrangler, which may have an aluminum body, but renovating the old factory in Toledo to accommodate the special processes necessary for aluminum metalwork will be costly. For FCA, the cost of upgrading machinery may exceed the cost of building a new factory in another city. Fortunately for Toledo, the Fiat Chrysler CEO has assured that the Toledo factory will continue to build an unspecified FCA vehicle, but it may not be the vehicle that Toledo has built for all these years.
The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most popular Fiat Chrysler vehicles, and it all started in Toledo. With the most distinct Jeep-look, the Wrangler carries a huge part of the Jeep heritage. The iconic ruggedness expected from a Jeep Wrangler is now combined with comfort and advanced technology in the 2015 Jeep Wrangler.
Residents, businesses, and the city council of Toledo have reached out to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in an attempt to keep building the Jeep Wrangler in their hometown. The city has held rallies, and made shirts and signs to claim Toledo as the home of the Wrangler. The city has even purchased land across from the current Wrangler factory as an incentive for FCA to keep the Wrangler in Toledo. A local McDonald's has also put up a scrolling LED display promoting that Fiat Chrysler keep the production of the Wrangler in Toledo.
The removal of the Jeep Wrangler from production in Toledo would be a detrimental loss to the city as there is so much Wrangler history in Toledo that would also be taken away. To see the full lineup of 2015 Jeep Wrangler models, visit Yark Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in the home of the Wrangler. Contact us in Toledo, Ohio to schedule a test drive today!
Update: June 2015 - Next Generation Jeep Wrangler will get a steel frame and production is likely to stay in Toledo
Update: September 2015 - Jeep Wrangler production will officially stay in Toledo, OH