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I ran across this article in the Toledo Blade (newspaper) this morning: Article published December 24, 2009
Jeep Islander due for rerun in 2010; Wrangler version to be built here
By LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER
Toledo's most venerated product is about to get a little Tiki freaky.
The Jeep Wrangler - born on drawing boards in Toledo in 1940 and still made here 69 years later - will resurrect its former Islander Edition for a limited production run in February.
The special Islander Editions of the Wrangler and four-door Wrangler Unlimited will feature 17-inch aluminum painted black wheels and large mud-terrain tires, tubular side steps, dark gray seats with surf-blue inserts and stitched-in blue Jeep logos, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with surf-blue stitching, and rubber slush mats.
The vehicles, a $995 upgrade package to the regular Sport versions of the two and four-door Wranglers, will be available in only three colors - surf blue, white, and black - and sport a large decal with a Tiki on the hood. Fewer than 1,000 are expected to be made.
A Wrangler Sport model with the Islander package is expected to start at $22,910, while a four-door Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4x4 with the Islander package would start at a retail price of $26,330.
A spokesman for Chrysler Group LLC refused to confirm the details of the Islander Edition. Local Jeep dealers, however, said they have ordered the vehicles, which dealers said will be produced all in February at the Toledo Jeep Assembly complex.
The automaker recently re-registered "Islander" and "Renegade," trade names formerly associated with variations of the Wrangler. Chrysler last made an
Islander edition of the Wrangler in the early 1990s.
During its marathon press conference on Nov. 4 when it laid out its five-year business plan, Chrysler executives said they intended to produce a number of "special models" and derivatives of the Wrangler in 2010, which the automaker called "the anchor of the Jeep brand."
The automaker also said it planned to upgrade the Wrangler's interior in 2010 and its powertrain in 2011, when it will introduce a much-sought-after diesel engine to the North American versions of the original SUV.
News of the Islander version comes as workers at Toledo Jeep have begun an extended three-week shutdown, one week longer than their traditional winter holiday.
Workers are scheduled to return to their jobs the week of Jan. 11, instead of the week of Jan. 4, as will workers at most other Chrysler plants. The latter callback is related to the lagging sales of Toledo-made SUVs, the automaker said.
Though it hasn't officially acknowledged the existence of the Islander version yet, it is likely that Chrysler officials will use the special-edition vehicle as a draw for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.
Chrysler officials have confirmed the automaker won't hold a press conference to introduce new vehicles or concepts at the auto show.
Still, dealers and Jeep enthusiasts were excited about the temporary return of the Islander, and predicted the automaker might follow with other special editions later in 2010, including Desert, Polar, and Urban Edition variations.
"The new company's really doing it right, putting the Wrangler up on the pedestal that it deserves," said Ralph Mahalak, Jr., co-owner of Monroe Dodge Superstore in Monroe.
"I ordered six so far. These will be fun."
Contact Larry P. Vellequette at:
lvellequette@theblade.com
or 419-724-6091.
Jeep Islander due for rerun in 2010; Wrangler version to be built here
By LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER
Toledo's most venerated product is about to get a little Tiki freaky.
The Jeep Wrangler - born on drawing boards in Toledo in 1940 and still made here 69 years later - will resurrect its former Islander Edition for a limited production run in February.
The special Islander Editions of the Wrangler and four-door Wrangler Unlimited will feature 17-inch aluminum painted black wheels and large mud-terrain tires, tubular side steps, dark gray seats with surf-blue inserts and stitched-in blue Jeep logos, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with surf-blue stitching, and rubber slush mats.
The vehicles, a $995 upgrade package to the regular Sport versions of the two and four-door Wranglers, will be available in only three colors - surf blue, white, and black - and sport a large decal with a Tiki on the hood. Fewer than 1,000 are expected to be made.
A Wrangler Sport model with the Islander package is expected to start at $22,910, while a four-door Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4x4 with the Islander package would start at a retail price of $26,330.
A spokesman for Chrysler Group LLC refused to confirm the details of the Islander Edition. Local Jeep dealers, however, said they have ordered the vehicles, which dealers said will be produced all in February at the Toledo Jeep Assembly complex.
The automaker recently re-registered "Islander" and "Renegade," trade names formerly associated with variations of the Wrangler. Chrysler last made an
Islander edition of the Wrangler in the early 1990s.
During its marathon press conference on Nov. 4 when it laid out its five-year business plan, Chrysler executives said they intended to produce a number of "special models" and derivatives of the Wrangler in 2010, which the automaker called "the anchor of the Jeep brand."
The automaker also said it planned to upgrade the Wrangler's interior in 2010 and its powertrain in 2011, when it will introduce a much-sought-after diesel engine to the North American versions of the original SUV.
News of the Islander version comes as workers at Toledo Jeep have begun an extended three-week shutdown, one week longer than their traditional winter holiday.
Workers are scheduled to return to their jobs the week of Jan. 11, instead of the week of Jan. 4, as will workers at most other Chrysler plants. The latter callback is related to the lagging sales of Toledo-made SUVs, the automaker said.
Though it hasn't officially acknowledged the existence of the Islander version yet, it is likely that Chrysler officials will use the special-edition vehicle as a draw for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.
Chrysler officials have confirmed the automaker won't hold a press conference to introduce new vehicles or concepts at the auto show.
Still, dealers and Jeep enthusiasts were excited about the temporary return of the Islander, and predicted the automaker might follow with other special editions later in 2010, including Desert, Polar, and Urban Edition variations.
"The new company's really doing it right, putting the Wrangler up on the pedestal that it deserves," said Ralph Mahalak, Jr., co-owner of Monroe Dodge Superstore in Monroe.
"I ordered six so far. These will be fun."
Contact Larry P. Vellequette at:
lvellequette@theblade.com
or 419-724-6091.
