La
Thuile, Italy -The Jeep® Cherokee Red
River Edition, with unique exterior features, is one of
three new vehicles revealed to the public at Euro Camp Jeep
2003 in Northern Italy.
The
limited-production Red River Edition features the grille,
front and rear fascias and “bolted-on” wheel
flares -- all finished in high-gloss graphite paint. Body-colour
painted door mouldings complete the colour-keyed appearance.
Complementing the unique exterior features are fog lamps
and all-season tyres mounted on 16-inch, graphite painted,
six-spoke cast aluminium wheels.
Inside,
the Jeep Cherokee Red River Edition has well-tailored, supportive
low-back front seats with a unique combination of flat woven
cloth and leather. The right-hand seat includes a seat-back
map pocket for added storage. The steering wheel is also
wrapped in leather. Cruise control comes as standard.
In addition,
unique optional Mopar equipment has been designed specifically
to complement this vehicle, including graphite painted tubular
side rock rails and tail lamp guards. A front brush guard
is available outside Europe.
The
2003 Jeep Cherokee Red River Edition is offered with a choice
of three powertrains: the 3.7 PowerTech™ V-6 petrol
engine with automatic transmission, 2.5 common-rail turbo
diesel (CRD) engine with manual transmission, or the new
2.8 CRD engine with automatic transmission. All Red River
Edition vehicles are four-wheel drive.
The
Jeep Cherokee Red River Edition is available in two exterior
colors: Bright Silver Metallic or Black, with special Red
River Edition badges on the driver and front passenger doors.
The interior is Dark Slate colour.
The
special edition takes its name from an historic town high
in the Rocky Mountains, within the Sangre de Cristo mountain
range in New Mexico, USA. Settlers formed the town of Red
River in the late 1800s when gold was discovered in the
region.
Now,
surrounded by a 1.5-million acre national forest, Red River
is known for its natural beauty and rugged outdoor activities.
Still challenging visitors to master the tough environment,
Red River is host to one of the most picturesque Jeep Jamboree
events (weekend driving programs that offer American owners
opportunities to explore the abilities of their vehicles).
Jeep
Cherokee 2003 Models
As well
as the Red River limited-production model, the full line-up
of Jeep Cherokee 2003 models (including the rugged Cherokee
Renegade model) features many improvements. For instance,
a new powertrain option improves upon the range of engines
and transmissions available on the Jeep Cherokee -- a Jeep
vehicle that has captivated traditional Jeep fans and attracted
a new generation of 4x4 vehicle buyers who value on-road
refinement and off-road ruggedness.
The
Cherokee is now equipped with a new 2.8 common-rail turbo
diesel (CRD) engine mated, for the first time on a diesel-powered
Cherokee, to a five-speed automatic transmission. The 2.8
CRD engine provides power and responsive acceleration with
the ease of a smooth-shifting automatic transmission. The
engine produces 110 kW (150 hp) of power and 360 Nm of torque
and propels the Cherokee 2.8 CRD to among the best-in-class
for acceleration and top speed.
The
545RFE five-speed automatic overdrive transmission, new
to the Cherokee but also used in the Grand Cherokee, features
driver-adaptive shifting that allows the transmission to
learn a driving style and adapt the shift characteristics
accordingly.
With
this powertrain enhancement, Jeep Cherokee now offers customers
a broad choice of four engines. The 2.8 CRD joins the existing
three-strong line-up: 2.5 CRD engine, 3.7 V-6 PowerTech
petrol engine, and 2.4 PowerTech petrol engine.
New
exterior colors for 2003 models include Atlantic Blue Pearl
for both Sport and Limited Edition models, Light Khaki Metallic
for all models, and Bright Cactus Green on the Sport.
Four-wheel
disc brakes are now standard equipment and give Jeep Cherokee
better brake feel on-road, with decreased stopping distances,
reduced brake fade and improved trailer tow ratings. Ratings
go up from 2250 kg to 3500 kg on models with the 3.7 petrol
and 2.8 CRD powertrains. The four-wheel disc brakes are
self-cleaning, which is especially helpful when driving
off-road.
New
Interior and Safety Features
The
Jeep Cherokee continues to delight customers with new interior
features. A new overhead console, based on the Grand Cherokee
design, includes a unique interface that allows customers
to program the operation of nine convenience and safety
items to their own requirements. Cherokee owners can now
personalise features, including which doors unlock with
the first press of the remote keyless entry unlock button,
the distance desired between service intervals, and the
amount of time the headlamps remain on after exiting the
vehicle. A new cubby bin found in the dash features a rubber
mat with a lip to keep sunglasses and mobile phones in place.
Drivers
will also have a better view of the world with newly available
electrochromic interior and driver’s side rearview
mirrors that help reduce headlamp glare from following traffic.
Standard sliding sunvisors keep the sun out of the driver’s
eyes by providing added coverage of the glass.
Standard
multi-stage driver and passenger front air bags are designed
to deploy at different levels depending on the severity
of the impact. Optional side curtain air bags offer additional
protection for both front and rear outboard occupants. Jeep
Cherokee also features a seat belt pretensioner in the driver’s
position, and constant force retractors for both driver
and front passenger.
Exclusive
to Jeep vehicles, Cherokee’s “uniframe”
chassis structure incorporates all of the strength and durability
typical of a body-on-frame design into a unitised construction.
Also, more than 70 per cent of Cherokee’s underbody
is made of high-strength steel.
Innovative
Suspension and Steering
In response
to customer feedback, Jeep engineers reduced Cherokee’s
steering effort for improved manoeuvrability and even more
fun-to-drive characteristics. Cherokee is the first Jeep
vehicle to offer rack and pinion steering, tuned to give
the driver precise control and positive feedback on-road,
with enhanced durability for off-road use.
Cherokee’s
Jeep-engineered, coil spring independent front suspension
combines with a link-coil rear suspension to provide exceptional
on-road refinement, while maintaining its 200 mm of suspension
travel and legendary off-road capability and durability.
Jeep
Cherokee is built at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in
Ohio, USA.
Jeep® Cherokee, 2003 Model -- Technical Specifications
Engine
3.7 Petrol
Description Six-cylinder PowerTech™ V-6, 90-degree
V, liquid-cooled
Displacement 3701 cc
Bore and stroke 93 mm x 91 mm
Valve system Chain drive, SOHC, 12 valves, roller followers
with
hydraulic lash adjustment
Compression ratio 9.1:1
Maximum power 155 kW (211 hp) @ 5200 rpm
Maximum torque 312 Nm @ 3800 rpm
Transmission
Four-speed automatic
0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 10.8 seconds
Top speed 180 km/h (112 mph)
Fuel
economy (litres/100 km)
Combined cycle 14.0
Ex-urban cycle 11.0
Urban cycle 18.8
Combined CO2 333 g/km
Engine
2.8 Common Rail Turbo Diesel
Description PowerTech common-rail diesel, turbocharged I-4
Displacement 2755 cc
Bore and stroke 94 mm x 100 mm
Valve system Belt drive, DOHC, 16 valves, roller followers,
hydraulic lash adjustment
Compression ratio 17.5:1
Maximum power 110 kW (150 hp) @ 3800 rpm
Maximum torque 360 Nm @ 1800 - 2600 rpm
Transmission
Five-speed automatic
0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 12.6 seconds
Top speed 174 km/h (108 mph)
Fuel
economy (litres/100 km)
Combined cycle 10.3
Ex-urban cycle 8.4
Urban cycle 11.7
Combined CO2 274 g/km
Engine
2.5 Common Rail Turbo Diesel
Description PowerTech common-rail diesel, turbocharged I-4
Displacement 2499 cc
Bore and stroke 92 mm x 94 mm
Valve system Belt drive, DOHC, 16 valves, roller followers,
hydraulic lash adjustment
Compression ratio 17.5:1
Maximum power 105 kW (143 hp) @ 4000 rpm
Maximum torque 340 Nm @ 2000 - 2400 rpm
Transmission
Five-speed manual
0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 13.5 seconds
Top speed 164 km/h (102 mph)
Fuel
economy (litres/100 km)
Combined cycle 9.0
Ex-urban cycle 7.5
Urban cycle 11.7
Combined CO2 250 g/km
Engine
2.4 Petrol
Description Four-cylinder, in-line, liquid-cooled PowerTech
I-4
Displacement 2429 cc
Bore and stroke 88 mm x 101 mm
Valve system Belt drive, DOHC, 16 valves, stamped steel
followers, hydraulic lash adjustment
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Maximum power 108 kW (147 hp) @ 5200 rpm
Maximum torque 215 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual
0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 13.9 seconds
Top speed 174 km/h (108 mph)
Fuel
economy (litres/100 km)
Combined cycle 11.0
Ex-urban cycle 8.8
Urban cycle 14.6
Combined CO2 260 g/km
Dimensions
and Capacities
Wheelbase 2649 mm
Track, front 1524 mm
Track, rear 1518 mm
Overall length w/spare tyre 4496 mm
Overall width 1819 mm
Overall height (to roof rack) 1817 mm (1897 mm, Renegade
model only)
Ground
clearance
Front axle 157 mm
Rear axle 180 mm
Running 231 mm
Approach angle 36 degrees
Departure angle 31.5 degrees
Fuel tank capacity 70 litres
Above
specifications are accurate for Europe only. Figures for
other markets may vary.