Jeep Rescues Dormant Factory in the US for Compass Production

Stellantis has confirmed plans to restart the dormant Belvidere plant in Illinois, which has been idle since February 2023. Production of the new Jeep Compass for the North American market will begin here in 2027, followed by the next generation of the Jeep Cherokee the year after. Investments in the project will exceed $600 million and are aimed at modernizing the facility and restoring jobs. At the peak of production for the Compass and Cherokee, around 3,300 employees, including returning and new workers, will be involved. According to Mopar Insiders, the first Compass models will have a gasoline engine, a manual transmission, and all-wheel drive, contrasting with the European strategy that focuses on hybrid versions. Electrified variants will be introduced later once demand becomes more stable.