The Jeep Liberty (KJ/KK), or Jeep Cherokee (KJ/KK) outside North America, is a compact SUV produced by the Jeep marque of Chrysler. Introduced for the 2002 model year as a replacement for the Cherokee (XJ), the Liberty was priced between the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. It was the smallest of the 4-door Jeep SUVs up until the car based 4-door Compass and Patriot arrived for 2007. The Liberty featured a unibody-on-ladder-frame construction, which added stiffness to its ride and handling, and enhanced its off-road capabilities. It is assembled at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in the United States, as well as in other countries including Egypt and Venezuela. Current estimates by Jeep are that 70% of Liberty buyers are new to the marque.
Inspired by styling from the Dakar and Jeepster concept cars, the Liberty was intended as a replacement for the discontinued Jeep Cherokee (XJ). Three trim levels were initially offered; the top end Limited, a more rugged looking Renegade and the base Sport. All were made available with either 2WD or 4WD. In 2007, the Renegade trim level was replaced with the Latitude that appeared to focus more on an urban appearance.
The Liberty was the first Jeep to use two new PowerTech engines; the 150 hp 2.4 L straight-4, dropped in 2006, and the 210 hp 3.7 L V6. The VM Motori 2.8 L straight-4 common rail turbodiesel, became available in CRD branded 2005–2006 Sport and Limited models (2004 in the UK). The diesel utilized a variable geometry turbocharger and generated 160 horsepower (120 kW) and 295 lb·ft (400 N·m) of torque. The heavier diesel powerplant added nearly 200 pounds (91 kg) to the CRD's curb weight versus the gasoline model. DaimlerChrysler introduced the CRD to gauge the marketability of diesel engines in North America; diesels are already common in Europe. The Liberty was also the first Jeep vehicle to use rack and pinion steering.
Only available in 2005 and 2006 for the Sport and Limited models, the 2.8L VM Motori CRD has since been discontinued due to stricter 2007 United States diesel emission standards. Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and California had already banned sale of the vehicle due to their rigid state emissions regulations. The 50-state legal 3.0L Mercedes-Benz OM642 engine was used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee from 2005-2008.
The Liberty was not the first Jeep vehicle to use an independent front suspension, as the Jeep Wagoneer first used it in the 1963 model. However, that independent front suspension was limited to four wheel drive versions and, even then, was a short lived option. Jeep exceeded their expectations by selling 10,000 Liberty CRD models in its first calendar year of production. In addition, the Liberty was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award for 2002.
No comments:
Post a Comment