DETROIT — Jeep is preparing to introduce its largest model in North America, the all-new 2006 Commander, next week at the New York auto show. The Commander is a seven-passenger companion to the Grand Cherokee and will be built on the same Jeep assembly line in Detroit.
According to Jeep suppliers who spoke with Inside Line, the new Commander is slated to go into production in July at the Chrysler group's Jefferson Avenue plant. It should begin reaching Jeep dealers in September. Prices are expected to start at just under $30,000.
The Commander shares many underbody components with the five-passenger Grand Cherokee from which it was derived, as well as some common sheet metal and styling cues. The profile is more squared-off and the roofline taller judging from the accompanying "spy" photos.
The Commander will compete with such midsize seven-passenger SUVs as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and the Ford Explorer. The top engine is expected to be a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, and a high-performance SRT-8 edition is also rumored.
What this means to you: If you thought the Commander was going to be nothing more than a stretched Grand Cherokee, our photos prove otherwise. Look for the production model to debut at the New York auto show next week.
According to Jeep suppliers who spoke with Inside Line, the new Commander is slated to go into production in July at the Chrysler group's Jefferson Avenue plant. It should begin reaching Jeep dealers in September. Prices are expected to start at just under $30,000.
The Commander shares many underbody components with the five-passenger Grand Cherokee from which it was derived, as well as some common sheet metal and styling cues. The profile is more squared-off and the roofline taller judging from the accompanying "spy" photos.
The Commander will compete with such midsize seven-passenger SUVs as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and the Ford Explorer. The top engine is expected to be a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, and a high-performance SRT-8 edition is also rumored.
What this means to you: If you thought the Commander was going to be nothing more than a stretched Grand Cherokee, our photos prove otherwise. Look for the production model to debut at the New York auto show next week.
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