A new report by The Detroit News sees the current Avenger staying in production after the new Chrysler 200 makes its debut next year.
A slew of Chrysler products will be living on past their expiry dates as the company has decided to extend production of Avenger, Grand Caravan, and Wrangler models, reports The Detroit News according to sources close to Chrysler.
A new mid-size Chrysler 200 is expected to break cover in January, and with it a new Avenger was expected. However, the current Avenger is now expected to live on. The Sterling Heights assembly plant, which builds both models, has two body shops and the capability to build both the new 200 and current Avenger simultaneously. This change in plan for the mid-size cousins is due to trying to differentiate the models while also giving fleet customers a rock-bottom priced option in the Avenger without having to discount the 200.
The Grand Caravan, an identical twin to the Chrysler Town & Country, will also get a stay of execution due to its popularity in the Canadian market and high volume fleet sales. The Dodge-branded van was expected to be replaced by a crossover in mid-2016, but instead it will continue on until 2017.
However, Wrangler is a completely different story, as it’s become a victim of its own success. The Toledo assembly plant, which produces the Wrangler, is running full tilt due to constrained capacity. While an expansion is coming, Chrysler wants the new Wrangler to come with a pickup variant and a new diesel from day one. In order to accommodate the additional demand, Toledo needs the expansion to happen first, so a 2016 refresh date is now out of the cards for Jeeps most iconic model. The current Wrangler will now stay in production until 2018.
[Sources: TTAC, Automotive News, The Detroit News]
