Jeep Interiors Go Soft, Offering More Refinement in Rugged Jeep Vehicles

LAND FLEESENSEE, Germany, July 2 --

    
    - More than 35 premium features added to Jeep(R) interiors

    - Nine premium surfaces added in Jeep Commander

    - Luxury Leather Package added to Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and Commander

    - Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee receive more refinements

Jeep(R) brand vehicles continue to expand the meaning of refined ruggedness, adding more than 35 premium features to the interiors of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Commander.

Leveraging the enhancements introduced this year with the Luxury Leather Package offered on Cherokee, Jeep Commander and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited receive Luxury Leather Packages, both with content appropriate for each model. In addition, Jeep Cherokee will be offered with a dark-slate, single-colour interior, and additional leather-wrapped interior components have been added to Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee.

"The Jeep customer continues to evolve, looking for more and more premium content in the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Commander, and now we think there is even a market for luxury leather seating in the Jeep Wrangler," said Thomas Hausch, Vice President -- International Sales, Chrysler LLC. "We are refining interiors and offering expanded premium content in these vehicles without taking away the rugged capability that makes a Jeep authentic."

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited ventures more upscale with the additional option of a Luxury Leather Package. Available on the Sahara model, the Luxury Leather Package includes Katzkin leather seat surfaces, a silver centre stack bezel, a grab handle and coat hooks which attach to the sport bar, bright door-sill mouldings, plus a silver applique on the glove box handle. In addition, the package includes the following exterior features: chrome fuel-door cover, chrome exhaust tip and 18-inch aluminium wheels with on/off-road tyres.

This interior fulfils requests from customers and dealers in a way that is consistent with the Jeep Wrangler lifestyle. The Luxury Leather Package for Jeep Wrangler Unlimited will be available in most major markets outside of North America beginning in July of 2008.

Jeep Commander

The Luxury Leather Package for the Jeep Commander is unique and focuses on the most common touch and visual points inside the vehicle. The vehicle's instrument panel features bright accents and a soft-touch top surface. The Luxury Leather Package includes leather seating surfaces with leather-wrapped bolsters and distinctive stitching along the top edge. The package adds a leather wrap with finishing stitching along the front edge of the instrument panel for a premium look. The centre stack includes the wood applique available on Limited and Overland models, and adds a matching trim bezel surrounding the radio and available navigation system. The front door trim panels have leather-wrapped armrests. The centre console lid and the upper door bolsters on all four doors are also leather wrapped.

The Luxury Leather Package is standard on Jeep Commander Overland and optional on Jeep Commander Limited. This package will be available in most major markets outside of North America beginning in October of 2008.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

The interior of the Jeep Grand Cherokee received numerous updates for the model currently available. The vehicle's two-tone instrument panel features a new level of refinement with bright accents and a soft-touch surface. The front door trim panels have leather-wrapped armrests for improved ergonomics and comfort.

Additional refinements available later this year consist of new soft-touch surfaces including a leather-wrapped centre-console lid, front and rear door upper bolsters, park brake handle, gearshift handle and instrument cluster brow. These upgrades will be available on Limited models as part of the Executive Group and standard on Overland models.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee with these additional interior refinements will be available in most major markets outside of North America beginning in October of 2008.

Jeep Cherokee

The all-new Jeep Cherokee which launched this year included more premium content than any Cherokee in the past. It was also the first Jeep vehicle to offer a Luxury Leather Package. Changes for this year will see an additional colour option for the interior and even more soft-touch components.

A dark-slate, single-colour option is now available with both cloth and leather seating. In addition, all Jeep Cherokee Limited models will include the components introduced this year as the Luxury Leather Package as standard equipment: single-colour leather seating with French-seam stitching on the seats, leather-wrapped grab handle, front-door trim-panel armrests, centre console lid. The hand brake boot, gearshift knob for automatic transmission models and gearshift boot for manual transmission models are all leather covered as well. The vehicle receives Mopar(R) premium floor mats and Mopar stainless-steel sill mouldings with the Jeep logo. Leather front seats will be embossed with the Jeep logo while stain-resistant cloth seats will be embroidered with the logo.

The Jeep Cherokee with additional interior refinements will available in most major markets outside of North America beginning in October of 2008.

Jeep Brand

The Jeep brand led Chrysler LLC sales outside North America in 2007, accounting for 41 percent of total sales. Jeep sales grew 13 percent for the year, fuelled by strong demand for new models such as the extremely capable Jeep Wrangler and fuel-efficient Compass. The Jeep Grand Cherokee was the sales leader for the brand, and it is the second-highest volume vehicle outside North America for Chrysler LLC.

The Jeep portfolio includes seven vehicles outside North America, all of which are available in right-hand-drive and with petrol and diesel powertrain options. Jeep vehicles available include: the new Cherokee, Commander, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited.