Jeep Cherokee / Wagoneer SJ
1962 - 1983
Jeep’s profitable quest to add a large stately automobile to its range began as early as 1962 with the Wagoneer and reached the peak of perfection in 1974 with the Cherokee. Both automobiles convey their passengers in impressive 4.66 meterlong, two- or four-door bodies and draw their strength from six- or eight-cylinder power units.
Since not all customers wish to drive their noble Jeeps through the dirt, both models come with „full-time“ and „part-time“ 4WD drive. The Cherokee plays an elegant role in a discreet design while the Wagoneer offers its master more luxury within and more chrome without, pandering to the desires of Americans with different V8 engines.
A new body, wrapped in distinctly more refined elegance and with a significantly more compact format, suggests the influence of the new master, Renault, from 1984 onwards. The youthfully slim Cherokee encourages the majority of customers to also forego the decoration with chrome strips. And those who settle for two doors get the chicest Cherokee.
The technology under the handsome bodywork faithfully follows the tradition of the house. As with the very first Jeep, the body rests on a box frame. Both axles are as rigid as ever. But at the front, they now hang on coil springs, longitudinal arms, and a Panhard rod, while at the back, it remains leaf springs as before.
The motorization of this Cherokee starts more modestly than before with a four-cylinder from AMC with 2464 cm³ from which it draws 123 hp (90 kW).
Significantly more thrust is provided by an inline six-cylinder with 3926 cm³ and initially 173 hp (127 kW), later with 184 hp (135 kW). For the more economical Europeans, there is also a turbo-diesel from Renault starting in 1984, which from today's perspective develops a modest 86 hp (63.5 kW) from 2068 cm³. The Cherokee becomes significantly more powerful only in 1995 with a turbo-diesel of 2499 cm³ and 115 hp (85 kW). The power transmission to the all-wheel drive can be engaged as needed. All models have a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The Cherokee Diesel is only available with manual transmission.
