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Downsizing was the name of the game for the US motor industry in the early 1980s. Jeep's largest models, the original Wagoneers, Cherokees and J-Trucks, were dinosaurs by the time they were due for replacement in the middle of that decade. Some versions actually soldiered on well beyond their best-by date - but to all intents and purposes they were replaced by the new downsized Cherokees (from 1983) and Comanche trucks (from 1985). These new XJ models were certainly smaller and lighter than their predecessors, and one of the ways in which the Jeep designers had saved weight was by turning to unitary construction. While this was not wholly new in the civilian 4x4 market (the Russian-built Lada Niva had employed unitary construction since the late 1970s), it was a very brave move to dispense with body-on-frame construction for a vehicle as large as the new Cherokee. Jeep's designers had also been concerned to give their new model characteristics which were as car-like as possible, and so they turned for inspiration to popular contemporary estates. That the new Cherokee looked rather like a 4x4 Volvo estate was therefore no accident. Although some of the engines in the earliest Cherokees were nothing special, the vehicle came of age when it was made available with the stunning new 4-litre straight-six. The early Renault-sourced turbo diesel also helped the Cherokee to score a few sales on the European continent. Strong sales of the Cherokee were one of the main reasons why Chrysler snapped up the Jeep marque when AMC put it on the market in the mid-1980s. By then, the related Comanche trucks had also been introduced and clever marketing steered them into the booming market for stylish pick-ups. As the articles in this book show, the Cherokee and Comanche made a huge impact during the 1980s and readers interested in what happened during the 1990s should definitely take a look at its companion volume, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee 4x4 Performance Portfolio 1992-1998. Models covered: Cherokee, Cherokee Chief, Wagoneer Limited, XJ Jeep, Cherokee Limited, Turbo Diesel, Comanche & Comanche Chief. 140 pages, 375 illus. SB.
