Jeep Wrangler Aluminum Body

 The next-generation Jeep Wrangler might have an aluminum body, instead of steel, and be assembled somewhere other than Toledo, Ohio, where its roots go back more than 70 years to the first Willys MB was made for the U.S. Army.  According to the latest

pronouncements from Fiat Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne, the shift to an aluminum  Wrangler would likely mean moving production out of Toledo. "If the solution is aluminum," Marchionne told Automotive News, "then I think unfortunately Toledo is the wrong place, the wrong setup to try and build a Wrangler, because it requires a complete reconfiguring of the assets that would be cost-prohibitive." The next Wrangler, due in 2017, would benefit from an aluminum body as Chrysler works to improve the fuel economy of all its vehicles. The U.S. government is requiring automakers to reach a fleet average of 56.5 miles per gallon by 2025. "We need to downsize the engines ... and then increase the capabilities by putting turbos in," Marchionne said. "This requires a complete rethink of the architecture, and before we start committing capital to particular places we need to make sure that we don't spend an inordinate amount of money trying to get it done." As for a suitable location for the aluminum Wrangler, Chrysler plants in Mexico and Canada seem to be out of the question because Marchionne said he wants to preserve Wrangler's heritage as an American vehicle.