Jeep is mulling a revival of its seminal vehicle, the legendary Willys MB military off-roader, in a bid to fight off new Chinese competition in Europe.
Speaking at the Paris motor show, new Jeep chief Xavier Peugeot described the Willys as the American brand's "key attention" for the future.
He said it was one of several "new ideas" that could be realised in the coming years, as "a key card to play in the fightback against the Chinese newcomers.
"All brands in Europe — and not only in Europe — are facing this situation," said Peugeot. "One of our main assets to counter this offensive is our DNA. People want the original. They expect Jeep to remain as strong and connected to its original values as possible.
Plans remain at an early stage, however, so "we are not confirming any concrete launch for this year or that year".
Peugeot suggested the Willys is a project for after Jeep's current 'Road to 2030' strategy is complete and that "ideas around Willys [will be] confirmed" by the turn of the decade.
Although much remains up in the air, he highlighted key attributes including "BEV affordability" — suggesting it will be purely electric — and compactness. Asked about the company's plans in the B-segment, the class in which it currently offers the Avenger, Peugeot pointed to the Willys project.
This brief neatly aligns with those of Stellantis sibling brands Citroën and Fiat for their forthcoming 2CV and a small model in the Panda family.
Those cars will be underpinned by a new architecture developed around the EU's planned 'E-car' regulations, devised to incentivise sales of small, affordable electric cars.
It's possible this is how Jeep will differentiate the Willys from the rest of its line-up, including the Avenger and the next-generation Renegade. Indeed, it would also mirror the essential and utilitarian spirit of the original World War II Jeep.
Peugeot said that "each model in our future range will be 4x4-compatible", which would further set the Willys apart from the 2CV and Panda.
The Willys will otherwise stick to Jeep convention in being a small SUV. A teaser image released by the brand shows a silhouette of a new model behind an original MB, revealing a short, boxy shape with bluff ends and a spare wheel mounted on its tailgate, reminiscent of the Suzuki Jimny.
