2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee - 4x News

Cheaper Jeeps for 2002
Cheaper Jeeps? Jeepers! Well, not cheaply made, of course, just kinder to the bank account. After a successful launch of the new Jeep Liberty, priced well under $20,000, the Chrysler Group announced a new pricing strategy for its 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler models. With the Grand Cherokee leading the segment in competitive pricing and a new premium model for 2002, all models will be approximately $2,000 MSRP less than the 2001 exit pricing, positioning the all-new Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 model pricing where the top-of-the-line Limited used to be. At just $37,430, the new Overland features major equipment upgrades over the Limited, including the all-new 4.7L high-output engine, which boasts a 15 percent increase in horsepower. The Overland also received standard equipment goodies such as side airbags, rain-sensitive wipers, and real wood interior accents.

The all-new Wrangler X model is designed to attract younger consumers, not only with its features, but also with its price. The X model features the powerful 4.0L engine with 190 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque and will be offered at $18,995. Other '02 model-year Jeep pricing is as follows:

Isuzu Goes Big In Australia
Proving the fact that it can handle the rigors of off-road abuse, Isuzu dominated the 2001 Australian Safari, an international cross-country rally lasting eight days and traveling through the barren Outback. The Isuzu Trooper and its Australian counterpart, the Holden Jackaroo, claimed four of the Top 10 spots in the overall automotive division, including First and Second Place. Grabbing the first slot was driver Bruce Garland and navigator Harry Suzuki of Holden Racing, beating out all others for the First overall and First in the Unlimited 4WD Recreational Vehicles and Utilities class. Driver Peter Brock and navigator James Brock finished Second overall and First in the Showroom 4x4 Cross Country Recreational Vehicles and Utilities class; and driver Peter Lockhart and navigator Tim Donovan finished Third in that class and Sixth overall.

Marking the third year in a row of accomplishing such a feat, Land Off-Road Racing's team of driver Bob Land and navigator Paul Connelly finished First in Production 4WD Cross Country Recreational Vehicles and Utilities class. Sponsored by American Isuzu Motors, the team piloted an Isuzu Trooper to victory after having dominated the class in a Trooper in 2000 and an Isuzu VehiCROSS in 1999. Driver Bob Land stated, "The Australian Safari truly tests your physical and mental limits, as well as the limits of your race vehicle."

The eight-day, 4,426-kilometer Australian Safari pits racing teams against some of the most treacherous terrain of Australia's Outback, with the Southern portion offering high-speed sections and sand dunes and rugged mountains, and the northern portion traveling through tropical jungles, river crossings, and mud bogs.

Giveaway Jeep TJ Goes Away
For those of you who had great dreams of winning our Superior Axle & Gear Giveaway Jeep TJ, you can let them go. Except for one of you, that is. Clayton Thacker of Vernal, Utah, beat the odds and came out the lucky winner. 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine and Superior Axle & Gear staff members were on hand to pass over the keys to Clayton, who had flown out to California with his wife to receive his prize. The Thackers planned on passing through Las Vegas on their way home, however, so we're still hoping Clayton didn't have any ideas about seeing how far his current streak of luck would carry him. Ron Stobaugh, vice president of sales and marketing for Superior Axle & Gear (left), came out for a ceremonial handshake with Clayton. Thanks to all who entered, and keep reading for the next sweepstakes.

Indy Auto Web Sites Big With ConsumersWho hasn't checked out Ford.com? Or what about Chevrolet.com? A lot of you, as it turns out. In a study released by Jupiter Media Matrix, third-party automotive Web sites such as Carpoint.com and AutoTrader.com receive many more visitors than those of manufacturer's sites. According to the survey, the Top 5 online destinations within the automotive e-commerce niche are Kbb.com (Kelly Blue Book), Microsoft's Carpoint.com, AutoTrader.com, Auto Vantage.com, and Edmunds.com. Each are said to have received at least 2 million visitors during the month of July 2001. Large automobile manufacturer sites fell just outside the Top 10, with Ford.com landing in the 11th slot, and Chevrolet.com, Toyota.com, and BMW.com coming in at 13, 19, and 31, respectively.

Jupiter analyst Julie Ask stated, "While car manufacturer sites are catching up, consumers still perceive third-party auto sites to be more impartial and innovative, offering tools, chat rooms, and a breadth of links to services that were only recently adopted by some manufacturers." Still so, only the entertainment category of Web sites, which includes the popular gaming subcategory, has a higher user patronage. For all of your 4x4 needs, we suggest checking out www.4wdandsportutility.com. It's a goodie.

Forever Your Father's Oldsmobile
Ever since a friend of my family taught me how to drive in her Oldsmobile Cutlass Classic along a dirt road in southeastern Oregon, I've had a special place in my heart for the hearty American sedans. In fact, I went on to take my drivers license test at the age of 16 in an '86 Olds' Royal Brougham, and scored a perfect 100 to boot. Not bad, but I've often wondered if it was my own skills or the spirit of the hefty beast of a car that helped me achieve this goal. Nonetheless, Oldsmobile vehicles have carved a niche of their own in the automotive world, dating from its early beginnings as the oldest automotive brand name in U.S. history, to one of its high points in 1977, when it became the first GM division outside Chevrolet to sell more than 1 million cars. The highest number it ever saw was in 1985 when 1,168,982 vehicles were built.

Named for its founder, RansomE. Olds, who started the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in Lansing, Michigan, in 1897, the Oldsmobile brand name is predated by only the Daimler name (of DaimlerBenz, and now DaimlerChrysler). Oldsmobile was among the pioneers in using chrome-plated trim and the mass production of automatic transmissions, offering drivers the Eighty-Eight series as well as the front-wheel-drive Toronado and the Cutlass. Production of the '02 Intrigue and Aurora V-6 models will end in June, while final production for the 2004 model-year Bravada, the company's only SUV, has yet to have been set. "Oldsmobile production has remained unprofitable," the company said in a written statement. Ron Zarrella, president of GM, also commented, saying new customers were younger and more educated, but "there weren't enough of them." Farewell, Oldsmobile. Thanks for the good times.