The tiny Jeep Renegade is far more than a domesticated line extension of a car brand that built its reputation on off-road ruggedness. The small sport-utility vehicle, introduced on March 4 at the Geneva International Motor Show, is also a critical test for the carmaker being formed from the merger of Fiat and Jeep parent Chrysler Group. The American brand's new entry-level model will be made in Italy and share underpinnings with the 500X, a four-door crossover version of the trendy Fiat 500 city car. "The Renegade and 500X are perfect examples of something Fiat and Chrysler couldn't have done alone," says Roberto Verganti, a management professor at Polytechnic University of Milan. "They are exploiting Fiat expertise in small cars to launch a Jeep model in a segment that's actually booming."
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