The Auto Writer

Of the three Chrysler brands, Jeep is soldiering on as one of America’s strongest automotive nameplates. Heck, Jeep is one of the strongest brands of any kind in the world come to think of it.

With Chrysler LLC getting hammered so badly this year, some automotive analysts are calling for the company to sell Jeep. Realizing that Chrysler LLC is bleeding through cash at an alarming rate and with a much lower survival threshold to weather the current economic climate then Ford or General Motors, the drum beat to ditch Jeep is certain to grow louder.

Though I’ve never been a fan of the Jeep Compass or Patriot, two models which in my opinion have sullied the image of the brand, what remains is quite good. The Wrangler is a perennial favorite for everyone who wants a smaller off road vehicle, the Liberty is a capable compact SUV, and the Grand Cherokee is a decent midsized people move. Get rid of the ugly Commander and you have a line up worth considering.

This past February I stated that Chrysler will be sold within the year and I believe that this move will still take place. Cerberus is a buy ‘em and flip ‘em operation, with very little knowledge of the automotive industry. Overly dependent on the US market, Chrysler would be best suited to team up with Renault and Nissan, becoming the third leg of what would be an incredibly powerful automotive entity.

Selling Jeep apart from the rest of Chrysler LLC would only stem the tide for awhile before the incredibly shrinking automaker would be crying out for relief again. With Jeep, the company is much more appealing. Without it, Chrysler and Dodge dealers would simply be fodder for some Chinese or Indian automaker to gain access to the US market.

Of course, if gas prices suddenly plunge by more than one dollar per gallon over the coming month or two, then Chrysler LLC will buy itself some time before a decision about the automaker must be made. Not that people will return to big cars and SUVs en masse, but it could slow the bleeding long enough for other suitors to step forward.