TOLEDO, OH-Chrysler Group (Auburn Hills, MI) and Magna International Inc. (Aurora, Ontario) have agreed to collaborate on production of Chrysler's 2007 Jeep Wrangler, with Magna taking over operation of the paint shop at Chrysler's Toledo South assembly plant.

The agreement is the latest in a series of collaborations taking place at the groundbreaking supplier park Chrysler is creating in Toledo. For example, Kuka Group has agreed to build the bodies for the new Jeep Wrangler, while Hyundai-owned Ohio Module Manufacturing will assembly the vehicle's chassis. Chrysler Group will be responsible for all final trim and assembly operations at the plant. All four companies will operate within the confines of the Toledo South plant, which will go into full production later this year.

"We are very pleased that Magna is joining the supplier model in Toledo," says Peter Rosenfeld, Chrysler executive vice president for procurement and supply. "Magna is one of our company's top-performing partners.... In addition, Magna...is familiar with our production processes and standards."

The co-location project is part of a comprehensive $2.1 billion investment that Chrysler Group is making in Toledo. The supplier park is based on a flexible manufacturing strategy, which will allow Chrysler to manufacture multiple products on a single assembly line and react quickly to changing market conditions.