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matthagey

NAXJA Forum User
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Valley Forge,PA
I cant believe this has never been asked on here before (sorry if it has I tried searching for it). Why did Jeep ever stop making Cherokees? I may be crazy but I thought they sold pretty well.
 
Functionally obsolete design. The re-design is called the "Liberty" in the 'States, and the "Cherokee" in Europe. You may have seen them around(and laughed)
 
I cant believe this has never been asked on here before (sorry if it has I tried searching for it). Why did Jeep ever stop making Cherokees? I may be crazy but I thought they sold pretty well.

They didn't!
 
You could still search, it's been covered before.

However, When the Grand was introduced, Chrysler thought they would discontinue the XJ around 96' or so ( Some Jeep Historian has the right number). Then Jeep did the Coke thing, and introduced the Jeep Cherokee "Classic" along with the other lines (Limited, Sport...).
In 2001, Chrysler also had the Liberty on the production line, the Grand Cherokee, and it looks like the Commander was on the drawing board. No need anymore for the Renault/AMC designed XJ, so it got scrapped. I'm sure the design of the 4.0L had something to do with it. Jeep added another CAT and downstream O2 sensor when they went OBDII, but I suspect by the time 2001 came around, even that was not good enough for the newer EPA standards. With Damlier designed engines on the line, it was time to retire the 4.0L also.

I could be all wet, but that's how I saw it :D

Ron
 
My guess is that THEY figured the Liberty remake would give them a boost in sales similar to the 96-97 years:

Number of XJs built in given year:


1984 - 93,326
1985 - 120,328
1986 - 107,225
1987 - 139,295
1988 - 187,136
1989 - 207,216
1990 - 151,230
1991 - 151,578
1992 - 137,826
1993 - 144,961
1994 - 123,391
1995 - 120,234
1996 - 286,463
1997 - 258,958
1998 - 182,845
1999 - 186,116
2000 - 165,590
2001 - 120,454


Total = 2,884,172

You have to remember that the Jeep brand has always been a cash cow for the owner, lots of cash flow without much of an investment.
 
I'm sure the design of the 4.0L had something to do with it. Jeep added another CAT and downstream O2 sensor when they went OBDII, but I suspect by the time 2001 came around, even that was not good enough for the newer EPA standards. With Damlier designed engines on the line, it was time to retire the 4.0L also.

I could be all wet, but that's how I saw it :D

Ron

The 4.0 survived through the '06 model year in the TJ so it couldn't have been that god awful bad! I think they canned the XJ because they were worried that the Liberty wouldn't sell! The XJ had classic good looks that survived more than a decade without any real changes to the exterior. Anything else made in the last 10 or so years lived that long? The XJ is still a handsome platform IMHO. An American classic.
 
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