Special Report: Camp Jeep®

More than 1,200 Jeep Owners Gather in Southern France for Largest-ever Euro Camp Jeep®

  • Jeep® enthusiasts from 20 countries set to arrive for fifth annual event
  • Jeep Gladiator concept and all-new Jeep Commander to be showcased
  • Support of the “Eclairage du Falaise” Project provides lasting legacy to the community
  • Euro Camp Jeep is the largest single-brand 4x4 customer event in Europe
  • Jeep customer events gain momentum around the globe
Portel des Corbières, France July 6, 2005 -

Hundreds of Jeep® enthusiasts from across Europe and beyond will gather this weekend at picturesque resort Château de Lastours in southern France for the fifth Euro Camp Jeep. This ultimate celebration of Jeep - the brand, the vehicles and the lifestyle - will be held July 7-10 with three full days of fun and adventure.

Euro Camp Jeep is an exclusive annual event for Jeep aficionados, their families and friends, which allows them to explore a full range of activities and share their experiences with fellow Jeep fans in a friendly, family-oriented environment. Each year the event has attracted more and more Jeep customers. The 2005 program will see more than 1,200 Jeep customers - the largest number ever - and almost 500 vehicles converging on one of Europe's most inspiring locations, the 104-hectare Château de Lastours estate in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

"The ever-increasing participation of people from so many countries is testimony to the passion our customers have for the Jeep brand, its values and the Jeep lifestyle," said Joe Eberhardt, Executive Vice President – Global Sales, Marketing and Service, Chrysler Group. "Euro Camp Jeep has grown over the past five years into an essential weekend for Jeep customers and enthusiasts in Europe. And we're happy that this year's Euro Camp Jeep in France continues to grow in size and scope."

Two special attractions will be on hand. The first is the Jeep Gladiator concept vehicle, which premiered at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and will make its first appearance in Europe. The Gladiator is a rugged and functional "super utility truck" that features an open-air canvas roof, removable doors, fold-down windshield, an expandable pickup-truck bed and clever storage compartments.

The second special attraction is the all-new Jeep Commander, a classically styled SUV with three rows of seats to accommodate seven passengers. The Commander will become the largest vehicle in the Jeep family and will be available in markets outside of North America beginning in early 2006. Euro Camp Jeep will mark this vehicle's first appearance in Europe, and it will provide customers with an exclusive viewing prior to Commander's arrival at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.

Participants from 20 countries will take part this year, including guests from as far afield as Sweden, Ukraine and, for the first time, China.

Euro Camp Jeep 2005 offers participants a wide variety of activities ranging from challenging off-road and scenic on-road driving, to orienteering trials and teamwork exercises, to family-focused adventures such as quad-biking and regional sight-seeing. This year's event also includes a new highlight - a Jeep Regatta, where customers will sail the Mediterranean Sea with experienced skippers.

Jeep fans can learn 4x4 techniques from off-road driving experts, staying true to the "Tread Lightly!" philosophy of responsible off-road driving and protection of the environment. Customers can also learn about their vehicles and exchange ideas and opinions with Jeep engineers. A collection of historic and classic Jeep vehicles will be on display, and a "Jeep Kids" activity area will offer age-appropriate adventures for the young members of the family. A Jeep clothing and merchandise shop, daily video shows and live evening concerts will round out the very full weekend.

"Jeep is the only brand to bring this many customers together, from all over Europe, for one special weekend.  Each year, Euro Camp Jeep grows in popularity, and as long as our customers keep demanding more, we'll continue to raise the bar." said Thomas Hausch, Executive Director – International Sales and Marketing. "With Jeep events and clubs in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia, Jeep is the only 4X4 brand that successfully promotes lifestyle driving events for the whole family all-around the globe."

The "Eclairage du Falaise" Project
To commemorate Euro Camp Jeep 2005, the Jeep brand and DaimlerChrysler will make a contribution to an important project in the region. To leave a legacy in the community of Portel des Corbières, the Company will donate 25,000 Euro to illuminate an important and recognizable feature of the local landscape.

The large sheer cliff (the "falaise") at Terra Vinea is a highlight for residents and visitors alike, and with the donation it will be lighted at night using renewable energy. "We are extremely pleased to have brought Euro Camp Jeep to the city of Portel des Corbières, and true to the Jeep brand, we are equally keen to leave behind something that will enhance the natural environment for many years to come," said Hausch.

Customer Relationship Programs Around the World
By building on its owners' enthusiasm, the Jeep brand continues at the forefront of relationship marketing by offering unequalled opportunities to explore the abilities of the vehicles through various driving events.  A prime example of this is Euro Camp Jeep, the largest single-brand 4x4 customer event in Europe.

In markets outside of North America, there are many in-country Camp Jeep style events that attract current and prospective customers to learn more about Jeep.  There are also numerous country Jeep Clubs organized and run by owner-enthusiasts or by the Company.  Some examples of the many initiatives around the world:

  • Camp Jeep South Africa, the country's largest motoring weekend for customers
  • Jeep Trek Turkey
  • Jeep Trek Egypt
  • Jeep Land in Belgium
  • Jeep Experience in Japan
  • Jeep Academy in Austria, France and Sweden
  • Jeep Jamboree in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland

In Jeep's largest market, the United States, there are three owner-loyalty programs created by the Jeep division of Chrysler Group. Jeep Jamboree, which began in the 1950s, is the original off-highway vacation, bringing fun and adventure to owners and their families at all levels of 4x4 driving experience. Jamborees are offered 36 times a year, in different locations across the country. In addition, there are now Jeep Jamborees in Canada and Mexico.

The success of Jeep Jamboree spawned Camp Jeep, an annual outdoor lifestyle vacation experience launched ten years ago for U.S. customers. Camp Jeep, upon which Euro Camp Jeep was first based, is held one weekend each year and offers a variety of 4x4 and other activities to more than 6,000 participants. Last year, Event Marketer magazine called Camp Jeep "the preeminent annual owner-loyalty program."

The enthusiastic response to Camp Jeep led to the spin-off of Jeep 101, now called Camp Jeep on the Road. This is a two-day weekend event that invites both owners and prospective customers to experience and test drive all that Jeep has to offer. On the move and every bit as muddy, Camp Jeep on the Road will visit eight different U.S. cities in 2005.

About the Jeep Brand
Freedom, authenticity, mastery and the capability to go anywhere are the hallmarks of the Jeep brand worldwide. It is a reputation earned during 65 years of SUV leadership. The launch this year of the newest Jeep Grand Cherokee, in both petrol and diesel versions, represents the brand's adaptability for Europe. Next year, Jeep continues to grow in Europe with the introduction of the classically styled Jeep Commander, an all-new three-row SUV designed to seat seven passengers. As the brand's lineup expands, Jeep vehicles will continue to be what they have always been – the most capable.

Jeep sales outside of North America continue to contribute significantly to Chrysler Group's success in international markets. For the first half of 2005, sales of Jeep vehicles comprised almost 43 percent of total Chrysler Group sales outside North America.

Jeep vehicles are available in over 125 countries around the world, and more than 11 million vehicles carrying the famous Jeep badge have been sold since 1946.




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