Mark Allen

JEEP DESIGN CHIEF

- Todd Lassa

AS FIAT CHRYSLER’S head of Jeep design, some would say Mark Allen has the best job in the world. Some would also say he has the least enviable job in the world because redesigning the iconic Jeep Wrangler is like redesigning the Porsche 911. How do you completely redo an icon without angering the hardcore enthusiasts who have made the model what it is? To find out, we spoke with Allen following the unveiling of the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL.

How much has the four-door Wrangler changed Jeep?

MA: Before the Unlimited, we sold Wranglers in the spring and summer. The Unlimited became a car for daily use, and it surprised even us.

Sort of like going from a sports car to family car.

MA: It’s like, “Hey, I want to get a Wrangler. I can bring the kids now.” The old Wranglers used to be cross-shopped against a speedboat. My Wrangler, I drive it in the summer. That’s about it.

So the Unlimited allows you to spend more time and money on developing things that keep the hardcore set happy?

MA: It certainly helped. It’s gotta have updates. Simple things, like the door needs to shut itself. Right? And that’s customer feedback. “I hate the door handle. I hate how the door shuts. Give me creature comforts.”