Episode 678 – Grand Cherokee Turns 30

This Week In Jeep

The Grand Turns 30 and Jeep Disgraces Willys Once More

The Detroit Auto Show just happened, and it marks a special anniversary for Jeep.

30 years ago, at this very same show, Jeep introduced to the world the very first Grand Cherokee, by first driving it up the stairs of the Detroit Convention Center, then crashing through the front windows. Talk about an entrance! You won’t see anything like that ever again, and that is primarily because Jeep is now owned by the French. And as we all know the French are scared of everything. (sacre bleu!)

This year’s auto show represents the 30th anniversary of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and in true Jeep fashion, they just couldn’t wait to unveil their latest special editions. 

I’ve seriously lost count of the number of special editions Jeep has released in the last 75 years, but it’s a staggering amount. Yesterday, as we record this, Jeep revealed the Grand Cherokee 30th anniversary and Wrangler Willys 4xe models. They’re a part of a push to increase brainwash……… I mean consumer adoption of its electrified technologies amid increasingly stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations. 

Jeep just last week shared plans to introduce four all-electric models by 2025, despite not having the charging infrastructure to support it, and states like California telling consumers NOT to charge their electric vehicles. But go on with ya bad self Jeep! Kowtow to the Greenie Weenies and let’s see how this plays out. Jeep is trying to do what is called “Future Proofing” the brand. Making it so no matter which direction things go, Jeep will have a platform from which to launch even if that’s in a completely new and insanely bad direction. Orders for the 30th anniversary Grand Cherokee will open later this year for a limited time at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $4,700 for the package with deliveries expected in early 2023. How much the actual vehicle will cost you, however, is still unknown, as Jeep hasn’t released the pricing structure yet for the 2023 models, as the automaker is likely just waiting to see how much they can inflate the price relative to the state of inflation in the economy.

Now, let’s circle back to this regurgitation of another name badge because I’ll be damned if I’m going to skip over ranting about that. I didn’t much care for Jeep slapping “WILLY’S” on the fender of some JK’s a number of years back when they introduced it as a trim package. The Willys Wheeler package (as they called it) was introduced in 2017 (I think) as a $6,400 add-on that consisted of knobby off-road tires, high-gloss black wheels, and grille, Jeep’s Trac-Lok differential rear axle, rock rails, performance suspension, tinted windows, “Willys” hood decals, LED headlights and an Alpine 9-speaker sound system with an all-weather subwoofer. Exactly what part of that (outside of maybe the tires) screams to you, “Willys”!?!? When I think of a Willys Jeep I think bare bones, stripped down, utilitarian, no-frills war Jeep. I’m sorry, but tinted windows and “glossy wheels” don’t come across as something that would be found on a wartime Jeep. Yet here we are, AGAIN, this time with Jeep slapping the Willys name on a 4xe Wrangler. One with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and a 400-volt, 17-kilowatt-hour battery. Jeep is however at least acknowledging the off-road prowess of the Willys Jeep from the 40s by giving this latest “version” (i guess we’ll call it) a set of Dana 44 axles and mud-terrain tires. However, it will only have a  2.72:1 Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive system. One option you do have control over though is whether or not to include the “Sun and Screen Package” with the class-exclusive Sky One-Touch Power-Top and the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen, which is only optional on the Willys 4xe. Clearly, this Wrangler doesn’t do the military origins of the Willys much justice at all, but there it is. 

Three Killed When Gladiator Leaves Trail

This is just tragic, did you guys hear about this one? 

A gladiator being driven by a tour guide, and his two passengers fell nearly 250 feet from a popular off-road trail near Imogene Pass in Colorado, killing all three souls.

The incident occurred Monday on Ouray County Road 361 (also known as Camp Bird Road), en route from Yankee Boy Basin to Ouray. The location is a short distance from the well-known off-roading destination Imogene Pass, from which one of the Jeep’s passengers had reportedly snapped a photo before the crash. The Colorado State Patrol says it responded to a report of a crash at 12:32 p.m. and found a white Jeep hundreds of feet down a cliff side from the road. The truck was believed to have slipped over the side of the trail, free falling about for about 100 feet, then landing on its roof. The impact was so severe, that the Jeep maintained its momentum, and rolled a further 140 feet down an embankment. The vehicle’s driver was ejected during this stage of the crash, and his body was found near the banks of Canyon Creek. His passengers, a pair of Arizona tourists, were both found dead inside the vehicle. This incident reportedly marks the second fatal off-road crash on Ouray County trails just this month. On September 5th, just ten days prior to this incident, a man from Mesa, Arizona died when his ATV tipped over and rolled hundreds of feet down a trail, again near Imogene Pass, injuring his wife in the process. The region records a significant volume of off-roading incidents due to its popularity with the outdoor community, which visits the nearby town of Telluride and often drives the many trails in the region. Their combination of tricky terrain and high traffic however has led the Sheriff of San Miguel County to advise drivers to stay off the nearby Black Bear Pass if they lack the proper trail experience.

Must-Have Stuff Pick-of-the-Week for your Jeep!

Bestop Zipper Cleaner and Lubricant     $19    https://amzn.to/3UfBP12

The weather is getting colder, and that may mean for some of you… time to pull off the soft top, and put it back on the hard top. One thing that is an all too common problem that arises during this exercise, is stuck Jeep Top Zippers. Zippers on Jeep tops are one of those things that are like a Nicky G joke, everyone groans at the mention of one. Now you could reach for the cooking spray or the WD40, but let’s not get radical here. You’re going to make a mess, and those aren’t the right tools for the Job. You could spend about $15 and get a bottle of the Mopar Jeep Wrangler Soft TOP Zipper Cleaner and Lube, or chip in a few bucks more for the Bestop brand Zipper  Cleaner and Lubricant. 

After all, Bestop definitely knows what they’re doing when it comes to Jeep tops. 

The non-toxic formulation is environmentally safe and biodegradable. Specially formulated to clean and lubricate all types of metal and plastic zippers. Contains no silicone or wax ingredients. Lubricates and cleans the zipper for smooth, snag-free operation. And for less than $20 for a 2oz bottle, you get one of the best-rated solutions for fixing tough Jeep zippers for the rest of your Jeep’s life.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/

Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver

The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/

Interact With The Show! https://jeeptalkshow.com/contact

Jeep Talk Show on Facebook https://facebook.com/jeeptalkshow

Rat Bastards Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ratbastard

Rat Bastards Webpage https://ratbastard.lol

Looking for Amazon products we’ve talked about on the show? https://jeeptalkshow.com/amazon

You are invited to our Discord Server!  https://discord.gg/txeYMs45sm

Show notes powered by sevenslats.com