4 x 4 Australia

Grand One

-

THE JEEP boys must have been reminiscin­g about the good old days when they pencilled out this year’s concepts. The Grand One brings us back to the glory days we dream of, when mum’s grocery getter had solid axles for and aft. This year marked the 25th anniversar­y of Grand Cherokee production, and what better way to celebrate than with a bottle of Jack Daniels and shot glasses hidden in the tail-lights? Yes, open the rear deck, slide out the lamp assemblies, and you have an instant tailgate party. Now, on to the serious stuff. Mark Allen, Chief Designer for the brand, shared with me that the Grand One (ZJ) was purchased the same way you and I might source a vehicle, on the internet. They then slipped a 5.2-litre V8 under the bonnet, which is tied to a four-speed automatic. To make sure mum gets the kids to soccer during the wet, front and rear lockers were added to a pair of Dana 44 axles, along with a two-inch lift and 33-inch Bfgoodrich Mud Terrain KM2S. Jeep also stretched the wheelbase three inches, and repainting added a subtle wood-grain treatment to the body. Regarding the bar in the back, it is the perfect combinatio­n for a Jeep with a flannel plaid headliner, cassette player and clumsy circa-1990s car phone. Party on dude!

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia