(November 17, 2011) TOLEDO, Ohio — Chrysler has announced that it will invest $1.7 billion to support the development and production of the next generation Jeep SUV in 2013, including $500 million at the Toledo Assembly Complex in Toledo. As a result, the company will add a second shift of production or about 1,100 jobs, bringing total employment at the complex to over 2,800.

Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that the new Jeep D-segment SUV would be built in the Toledo facility for export to markets all over the world.

“Earlier this year, I promised that I would have good news to share about our Toledo operations, so I am pleased to be able to make this announcement, which further demonstrates our commitment to the special relationship that Chrysler and the City of Toledo have shared,” said Marchionne.

“Over many decades, Chrysler has become a part of this community’s fabric. With this investment and the addition of more than a thousand jobs, we continue to play our part in contributing to the city’s industrial and social development. Most importantly, this investment recognizes the support of the UAW and the role that our skilled and dedicated workforce has played in producing some of the finest, most recognized vehicles on the road today.

The $500 million investment in the Toledo plant includes a 260,000-square-foot expansion of the existing body shop and upgrades to all other areas of the assembly plant. In addition, Chrysler will add a state-of-the-art, 26,000-square-foot Metrology Center, which will help improve vehicle quality by verifying key measurements to ensure accurate fit and finish.

The remainder of the $1.7 billion will be invested in other Chrysler Group facilities in the U.S., supplier tooling and other related development costs.

Work on the plant will begin immediately and continue through 2012. The Toledo North Assembly Plant currently builds the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro.