Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has announced the next-generation Jeep Wrangler would get “aluminium components” rather than a full aluminium body as previously planned.

FIAT CHRYSLER CEO Sergio Machionne has told automotive trade magazine, Automotive News (requires subscription) that the next-generation Jeep Wrangler won’t get an aluminium body as previously planned. In an attempt to save weight and reduce fuel consumption it was expected the next-generation Wrangler would receive an aluminium body, now it’s likely to get an aluminium bonnet, tail-gate and doors only.

“There will be a large portion of that vehicle that will be aluminium. It will not be all aluminium,” Marchionne told Automotive News.

“We’ve run the numbers and we’ve simulated mileage and the impact. Because of the difference in cost – not just the material but the actual assembly process – I think we can do almost as well without doing it all-aluminium. I think we can get very close.”

The Wrangler is produced at Jeep’s Toledo factory in Ohio and producing the next-generation Wrangler out of aluminium would have required an expensive re-fit, or potentially moving production to an alternative facility. However, just adding aluminium components to a steel body requires no such expensive re-fit.