Stellantis has recently noted a change in leadership across the US automotive market during the third quarter of the year, with Ram Trucks taking over from Jeep as the best-selling brand in America. But it’s not over for any of these proud specialty brands.
Since I was a kid, my dream SUV ride was a Jeep with no doors and the top down, going to the local beach with party ideas. Most likely, that idea appeals to many Jeep fans, even when they grow older and choose the specialty brand for its tamer models, as the marque has been a growth driver for Stellantis for years.
Alas, the company hiccupped a bit not long ago when it mistakenly thought its EV-focused strategy would work just as well in places like the Old Continent and America. They did catch the trend in Europe with the EVs, though even here they were blindsided by the Chinese attack and had to quickly make a deal with the Devil and bring the Lepas brand to the region.
But over in America, the previous management setup was gravely mistaken in thinking that the North American continent, especially the United States, was just as eager as the Europeans to transition to an EV lifestyle. As such, combined with ever-higher prices across the board and some pretty old models, Stellantis North America took a pretty big hit in the proverbial groin in terms of sales.
No worries, as the new CEO Antonio Filosa, along with the guru Tim Kuniskis, who was brought out of retirement in a hurry, have a masterplan that’s already in the implementation phase for the Ram Trucks and Jeep brands. Not so much for Chrysler and Dodge, but they’re working on them, with the former set to become a much-needed affordable brand while the latter is gunning for a return to its ICE performance form. Anyway, Ram Trucks has taken over the American sales leadership among Stellantis brands from Jeep during the third quarter of the year, mostly thanks to the reintroduction of the Hemi V8 engine across the board.
Jeep, meanwhile, has the upper hand after the first nine months, although sales continued to slide by around eight percent. No worries, because we think that Jeep is going to recover. They have started working out their strengths, above all else, and that’s a very good thing. Recently, Jeep was named the official 4×4 of Moab by the city, the brand introduced the 2027 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with actually great off-road specifications and hybrid efficiency, and the company even returned to the Rebelle Rally with the Jeep Gladiator Mojave.
They also make good promises: the next-generation Jeep Cherokee is already greenlit with the new STLA One platform set to launch in the United States for the first time, and the Grand Cherokee received updates for the 2027 model year, like the Laredo Upland model. Of course, we’re still waiting on the Hemi V8 to make a comeback, which is a contentious point, for sure.
But at least Jeep has done a good job keeping the Wrangler front and center among its many focuses – and they have treated it spectacularly for an entire year! More precisely, back in November 2025, Jeep kicked off an entire year of celebration for the Wrangler nameplate with the Twelve 4 Twelve series. Yep, they created 12 special editions and packages, one for each month of an entire year!
The story kicked off in November 2025 with the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Moab 392, inspired by the Jeep brand’s 85th anniversary and 60 years of Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, and equipped with a 392ci V8 engine. In December 2025, they presented the Jeep Wrangler Whitecap with an iconic Arctic White top to remind us of the classic CJ-Universal model.
In January 2026 came the Jeep Wrangler 85th Anniversary, obviously, followed by the Jeep Wrangler Willys 392 in February, Jeep Wrangler Willys 392 in March, and the nostalgic Jeep Wrangler Rewind inspired by the concept from the 2025 Easter Jeep Safari. May came with the Jeep Wrangler America250 to celebrate 250 years of America, followed by the Jeep Wrangler Sarge in June, dedicated to the Willys MB and Jeep’s military roots.
The Jeep Wrangler Laredo brought back the iconic trim level from the 1980s in July, followed by the Jeep Wrangler Smoky Mountain in August and the Jeep Wrangler JL-2A in September, one dedicated to the “rugged beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains and the passionate Jeep community that gathers there each year,” and the other a “tribute to the 1945 Willys CJ-2A, reimagining its iconic design and bold color palette” with modern cues.
Last but not least came the 2027 Jeep Wrangler Switchback in October 2026, the 12th and final release in the Jeep brand’s Twelve 4 Twelve product drop series, wrapping up a “yearlong celebration of 85 years of heritage, design, freedom and legendary 4×4 capability.” Many of these were simple packages; others were trims, but one thing is for sure: the personality that made Jeep a brand that stands out in any crowd is back in fashion, again. Cool or not?