The new 1997 Jeep® Cherokee,which has passed through an extensive, $215 million redevelopment programme,is going on sale withinside the UK later this month.A brief look at the brand new Cherokee willreveal a brand new grille, sculpted bumpers, flared wheel arches andnew alloy wheels.But below those diffused improvements lie theresults of a painstaking enhancement programme, which has seenthe Jeep Cherokee go through complete modifications designed to retainits function at the vanguard of the 4x4 marketplace."Chrysler is conscious that the Jeepbrand is an American icon, acknowledged world-extensive because the original4x4. We understand that after we take into account modifications to a Jeep automobile,we should guarantee our clients that we aren't tampering with alegend."That statement, made via way of means of Tom Gale, Chrysler'sExecutive Vice President - Product Development recently, encapsulatesthe wondering in the back of the modifications to the Jeep Cherokee.
In total,greater than 50 in step with cent of the frame-in-white components are both newor appreciably changed on the brand new version.At the equal time, modifications to the manufacturingprocesses on the Toledo, Ohio meeting plant have helped the fitand end of frame panels to the advantage of standard quality. Changesto the exterior, however, had been stored to a minimal to allowthe new Cherokee to maintain its exceptional Jeep look, underliningits declare to be a traditional of present day American design.It's a glance that has loved a lot successover the years. More than million Cherokees had been builtand bought because it became released in America in 1984, greater than 19,000of them withinside the UK.The UK is the fine European marketplace forthe Jeep Cherokee via way of means of a few margin, in which closing 12 months, nearly 5,seven hundred weresold, despite the fact that deliver became constrained because the antique version startedto run out. In 1996, Germany got here closest to the United Kingdom with 1,647units. Last 12 months, greater Cherokees had been bought withinside the UK than in Germany,France, Italy and Spain placed together.The Jeep Cherokee arrived right here simply overfour years ago, to spearhead the go back of the Chrysler and Jeepnames to Britain.It fast mounted itself as a leadingplayer withinside the 4x4 marketplace and shortly have become the fine promoting petrol-enginedoff-street automobile in its sector.The arrival, in 1995, of a turbodiesel model similarly bolstered its function amongst 4x4 buyers,a number of whom had been via way of means of then playing extraordinary secondhand resalevalues - there had been many instances of Cherokees losing much less than£a thousand withinside the first 12 months, remarkable in a vehicle costing nearly£20,000. Throughout that 12 months Jeep sellers had been reportingresale values higher than posted withinside the trader's bible, Glass'sGuide.Today, the Jeep Cherokee nonetheless leads theclass in terms of maintaining its value - a reality which goesa lengthy manner to explaining the excessive stage of purchaser loyalty enjoyedby Chrysler Jeep.Richard Mackay, Managing Director ofChrysler Jeep Imports UK, said: "The Jeep Cherokee became the firstmodel we added to re-set up the Chrysler call withinside the UKand has been the mainstay of the variety ever since."The modifications made to the brand new Cherokeewill similarly decorate its recognition as one of the main 4x4son the marketplace on the equal time as broadening its enchantment to a newaudience."But fine of all, in spite of all thechanges, it nonetheless seems like a Cherokee. The message that camethrough from clients as we had been embarking in this new modelprogramme became that we may want to make upgrades to the Jeep Cherokee'sdynamics however we should not tamper with the seems of the vehicle...the plan became to enhance the Jeep Cherokee, now no longer redefine the vehicle.
