STELLANTIS BREAKS THE AE STUPID METER. AGAIN. – Rants
Editor’s Word: This week, Peter takes on Stellantis, calling them out for his or her abject stupidity in going all-in on an “off-road” EV for certainly one of their key product launches subsequent yr. In On The Desk, we present our readers the runner-up to this yr’s “Reply To The Query That Completely No One Is Asking.” We additionally preview the 2026 Dodge Durango, together with the all-new 2026 Audi Q3. And we take one other have a look at the 2026 Honda Prelude hybrid-electric sports activities coupe. Our AE Track of the Week is “Again To Mates” by Sombr. In Fumes, Peter continues with Half V of his sequence on his all-time favourite racing machines, Jim Corridor’s Chaparrals. And in The Line, we now have F1 outcomes from Las Vegas. We’re on it! -WG
By Peter M. De Lorenzo
Detroit. Simply after we thought it was protected to place the AE Silly Meter away for the yr, Stellantis has blessed us with this: The 2026 Jeep Recon, an “off-road” EV with 250 miles of vary (allegedly) and a sticker value of $66,995, together with transport.
The place do I start? To start with, what yr is it once more? These aren’t the halcyon days of 2021, when the auto trade was going all-in on EVs, and woefully misguided CEOs (you recognize who you’re) had been waxing eloquently about how the “Grand Transition” to EVs was upon us and in case you’re not in it to win it you had been destined to lose, big-time.
No, that is 2025, nearly 2026, and those self same CEOs are in “duck-and-cover” mode because the EV “factor” has floor to nearly a whole halt. In actual fact, costly EVs are lifeless within the water, with Ford sellers burdened with piles of F-150 Lightnings on their tons screaming for assist and GM’s vaunted “Manufacturing facility Zero” shut down. If any EVs are within the works, they’re going to be comparatively “inexpensive” just like the upcoming Chevrolet Bolt.
To not point out the truth that, as I predicted, the Charger EV could be lifeless within the water from the second it was launched – and it was – and now Stellantis operatives are busy stuffing HEMI V8s and “Hurricane” Twin-Turbo straight sixes in them in a dramatic “180” pivot again to ICE energy.
Wait a minute, wasn’t the brand new CEO – Antonio Filosa – supposedly orchestrating a brand new product push that can resurrect the fortunes of Stellantis? We’ve been buried in press releases touting a “new” highly-focused Stellantis, an organization that might be attentive to its sellers, kinder to its suppliers (after constantly being loathed by your entire trade) and all about product, product, product.
And but, right here comes the 2026 Jeep Recon. “Constructed for journey, the all-new 2026 Jeep Recon is the one absolutely electrical Path Rated SUV, delivering rugged functionality in a totally electrified kind,” in keeping with Stellantis PR minions.
Actually? That’s what Stellantis goes with for certainly one of its key product launches subsequent yr?
Oh, there’s extra, after all. “Electrified and path prepared, the Jeep Recon delivers 650HP, 620 lb.-ft. of instantaneous torque and an estimated all-electric vary of as much as 250 miles, plus 0-60 mph acceleration in as little as 3.6 seconds,” in keeping with Stellantis PR minions.
As if any of that actually issues. The “estimated” vary is precisely that, estimated. And the horsepower and 0-60 time are inconsequential as a result of, suffice to say, in case you dip into any of that functionality within the outback you may be pitching a tent and ready for somebody to come back together with a cost.
I’ll spare you the quotes from Stellantis executives touting the excellence of the Recon, as a result of it’s all unmitigated bullshit. They usually realize it. The choice was made to go forward with this product after years of hand-wringing, and it’s a enormous mistake. In actual fact, it broke the AE Silly Meter. That is nothing greater than advertising at gunpoint. Or, as Mr. T famously mentioned, “I pity the fools.”
If there’s one auto firm that constantly takes two-steps ahead and five-back, it’s Stellantis. In actual fact, it shoots itself within the head regularly. Give it some thought. Fiat is an afterthought (and deservedly so), Alfa Romeo as a model is woefully underserved and perpetually on the ropes due to it, and Jeep is promising twelve months of particular Wranglers, signaling that Jeep operatives are, in reality, fully out of concepts. And now, right here comes the Recon. The fact for Filosa & Co. is that if it weren’t for Ram Vehicles they’d be boarding up the home windows out in Auburn Hills.
The Jeep Recon is solely the mistaken product, on the mistaken time, from the mistaken automobile firm.
And it’s the winner of the 2025 Autoextremist “Reply to The Query That Completely No One Is Asking” Award, hands-down.
Congratulations to all concerned.
(See On The Desk for this yr’s runner-up to the AE award. -WG)
And that’s Excessive-Octane Reality for this week.
(Stellantis)
The 2026 Jeep Recon.
Editor’s Word: Click on on “Subsequent 1 Entries” on the backside of this web page to see earlier points. – WG
