image: carnewschina.com
I blew it when I said the Cherokee was no longer in production in China. That was based on old information, inasmuch as the original Beijing-Jeep joint-venture (later Beijing-Chrysler, and Beijing-Daimler-Chrysler) did peter out in 2009. That was historic, as the Jeep JV was the first of its kind for an American car in China, in 1984. After Chrysler pulled out in 2009, Beijing Auto Works took over production itself, and the Knight S12 is very much still available, although not with the drive trains of yore.
The Knight is now powered by either 2.0 or 2.2 L fours, an older Nissan design. A bit modest, but with 141 hp, the 2.2 and a five speed manual might work for minimalist me. The front end styling: not so much so. At least the rest of it is pretty unmolested, and it has a new interior. Maybe I could sign up to be a dealer? Carnewschina.com has the full details here.
hat tip to Solracer
Don’t sweat it, you’re forgiven. Just an oversight.
I would like to see that Sino-Jeep sold over here, but Chrysler would have a fit.
I wonder how that works from a Legal Perspective? If another company buys the tooling and starts selling them in the US can Fiatsler stop them? Could make for an interesting legal battle.
Well, the old Beijing Jeep Cherokee was produced under license, so I assume that the rights probably went to BAW by default.
Looks like the hood and fenders are unchanged. Shouldn’t be hard to find either 1st or 2nd gen grille to replace the new piece. Should be a simple bolt-on swap.
Appears to have 6-lug wheels now.
I can’t imagine these would be a huge seller. In the 90’s these were the preferred vehicle for bosses, but by the time I was there in the early 2000’s bosses had black Audis.
Me on the other hand, I’d like a new Cherokee for $12k.
For a great description of all this read “Country Driving: A Chinese Road Trip” by Peter Hessler. He drives quite a distance around China in a Cherokee.
Just read that over Christmas; wonderful book. I’d read some of his China articles in the New Yorker, but this really was terrific. I highly recommend it.
I like the updated headlights but the grille, not so much. I understand why it should be different from the original though. Didn’t Jeep/Chrysler/Daimler-Benz have a fit when the Hummer debuted with a 7-slot grillllllle? The idea being, I guess, that was a Jeep trademark. Ironic since the Chinese seem to have little regard for copyright, intellectual property, etc.
The first Chinese automobile that I would have any desire to own. It’d be worth owning, just for the double-takes while driving it.
From the angle in the pic, I actually thought this was a first gen Subaru Outback for a second.
I actually like the nose on this; it’s like a ZJ nose grafted onto the XJ body. I would, however, move that JC Whitney grille emblem onto the top of the valence panel.
Cool to see these still in production. I always liked the looks of the Cherokee, especially the 1997-01 facelifted version.
Give this thing a 2-3L Turbo-diesel and you could sell like hotcakes at $15-20k. The Six Bolt Wheels make me wonder what sort of axles it has, the axles on most of the XJs were weak as soon as you bumped up the tire size and started wheeling.
Japanese pickups have often had six-lug wheels. I know Nissans and Mazdas (the Japanese made ones up until 1992, not the later Ranger-based ones) had six lug wheels. Isuzu and Mitsubishi may have, too. Toyotas had five lug wheels.
Since the engines are Nissan-based, the axles probably are, too, though I wouldn’t be shocked if Nissan and Mazda got their six-lug axles from the same supplier anyway.
You have to wonder though what else has been changed, corners cut, parts removed, lightened/weakend etc.
It makes me wonder how much we are paying for modern safety and comfort standards. That’s a lot of truck for $12,000. More capable than anything you can currently buy in the US at twice the price. I wouldn’t put my family in it though.
Ohhh, it’s tempting. But I put a gentle toe into the Chinese motor industry…yup, I was damn-fool enough to buy a Chinese scooter. A Suzuki Burgman clone.
And it got me 75 miles a gallon, would cruise at 75 (actual) miles per hour, and ran fine…until it didn’t. Crash on the valve train….not sure of the specifics.
It was under warranty, and I took it to the shop. Last June…it’s STILL in there, and the shop (which has given up its dealer franchise on this make of scooter) hopes that THIS time the Company will have sent the RIGHT part.
On a $2300 scooter, I can afford it. But to have a similar issue, and similar non-honoring of the warranty on (even) a $12,000 car…no thanks.
That thing…LOOKS like an XJ. Like my scooter LOOKED like a high-quality Suzuki Burgman. But looks…are just that.
I wonder if someone could make a small business of selling these to off-road entusiasts, registered under the name of old Cherokees.
If the body shell is still largely the same…there’d be plenty of enthusiasts who would jump at the chance, then shoehorn in whatever AMC six variant they could find, along with a transfer case. And call it good.
But that’s skirting the gaudy trespasses of fraud.
I just got back from two weeks in Beijing and Shanghai. I took a lot of pictures of Chinese CC’s …. but Cherokees were few and far between, unlike my memories from previous visits. I saw far more late model Grand Cherokees, even SRT8’s, and many Wrangler 4-doors, including Rubicons. But among crossovers and SUV’s, Jeeps are hugely outnumbered by Porsche Cayennes and BMW X5’s, as well as CRV’s, RAV4’s, etc. The surprise to me, despite having read about GM’s successes in the Chinese market, was the ubiquity of Buicks and even Chevies. We took a guided tour to the Great Wall (in a Buick GL8 van, local version of the short-lived Terazza) and our guide told me that American cars are prized for their comfort …. which seems odd considering that the best-selling Buick Excelle is just a rebadged Daewoo or Opel (Astra/Cruze sized), not really a classic American-style car. But there are many Regals, LaCrosse, Lucerne and even RWD Park Avenues (Pontiac G8/Chevy PPV style). I’l be posting some pics up on CC Cohort soon, but here’s a shot of a Park Avenue in Beijing, next to another vehicle seen everywhere in China.
That Buick is seriously ugly!! Looks like a Lincoln LS crossed with a Ford Five Hundred crossed with who knows what!