Sales of the iconic Jeep Wrangler may be slowing over the past few months, but you wouldn’t know it by the way manufacturers were displaying the vehicle during the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas.
In fact, so many Wranglers were up for display that, once again, SEMA awarded the vehicle its ‘Hottest 4x4-SUV’ winner for 2016. The award marks the seventh consecutive win for Wrangler and the vehicle is the only winner in the history of this award.
“The SEMA Show and SEMA members play a critical role in identifying the hottest trends and rides in the vehicle customization industry, which is why winning a SEMA Award represents an important recognition for our company,” said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service for Jeep’s Mopar Division. “Enthusiasts customize vehicles they love and feel passionate about, and we at Mopar are lucky to have such a great portfolio of vehicles within the (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) umbrella. FCA vehicles are the perfect canvas for…accessories and performance parts.”
SEMA hands out the award during its annual breakfast, held on the show’s opening day Tuesday, and is the result of executives walking the entire show floor during Monday’s set-up and recording all display vehicles. They began honoring the ‘SUV’ category back in 2010, hoping to differentiate these vehicles from truck and performance cars which dominate the SEMA landscape and have their own award category.
“Jeep is one of the most accessory-friendly vehicles available, having won the SEMA Award as the ‘Hottest 4×4-SUV’ repeatedly,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “Given the vehicle’s versatility as a daily driver and for off-road use, it comes as no surprise that the Jeep remains so popular among the automotive community.”
While the Wrangler has continued as one of FCA’s top-selling brands this year in total volume, the vehicle has under performed the past four months and is now down 6 percent for the year versus 2015. Many believe a combination of election-year uncertainty, combined with a new generation Wrangler hitting the market next Spring, are reasons for the decline.
