Ram production will be coming back to the United States and car production moving to FCA’s Mexican operations, Automotive News is reporting citing anonymous sources.
The news comes just days after FCA and the UAW tentatively agreed to a new national contract while locals continue to hammer out the finer details at the plant level. According to the report, there will also be some movement of products within U.S. borders between FCA plants.
The biggest change is something that’s been hinted at for a while — the full return of Ram 1500 production to the United States. Production of the pickup is currently split between Toluca, Mexico and Warren, Michigan. The report states Ram 1500 will move to Sterling Heights, Michigan, a plant currently occupied by the Chrysler 200.
Jeep Cherokee will reportedly move from Toledo, Ohio, a plant it currently shares with the Wrangler, to Belvidere, Illinois, a plant currently occupied by the Dodge Dart. The extra capacity at Toledo will allow it to produce more Wranglers and a new Wrangler-based pickup.
Now without a home, Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart production will be shuttled off the Mexico. Toluca currently produces the Dodge Journey (unlikely to change) and Fiat 500, the latter of which will have its production centered at FCA’s Polish assembly plant that produces the same model. Ram 2500 and 3500 production will remain in Toluca.
The exodus of Ram 1500 production in Warren leaves that plant to receive the future Jeep Grand Wagoneer — a new body-on-frame, three-row, luxury SUV. That new model is expected to be a platform mate to the next Jeep Grand Cherokee, thus allowing Warren to handle overflow production for the Jefferson plant.
Not detailed in the report are the Jeep Compass/Patriot twins, a possible Chrysler 100 sedan and promised midsize and full-size Chrysler crossovers.
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