2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[haven]

Chrysler is having a big introductory "event" for the 2011 Grand
Cherokee today. Lots of Chrysler and Fiat management, and politicians
like the governor of Michigan, will attend. Delivery to dealers is
expected to start in late June.

 

[mikeg1713]

I'm driving a 2011 grand in southern Maryland this Wed, June 2nd.

 

[Amauri]

Woot take pictures!! :smiley_drive:

 

[mikeg1713]

Sorry I had to delete these.

 

[mikeg1713]

these are PRE-PRODUCTION!!! They can differ from what you will see on the lots come public release. They were drivable and ARE the most amazing Grand i have ever driven:wings:. I've been involved in Jeep sales for over 10 years.

 

[Amauri]

Very nice!

 

[getlost4x4]

the inside looks nice. but the front is still ugly.

 

[realdeal]

No thanks. I hate the IFS in the front of my XK enough to promise myself I will avoid purchasing IFS rigs like the plague - let alone IFS and IRS.

IMHO, Jeep should keep it simple, strong, modifiable, and durable. Like a Wrangler Rubicon. That new GC just seems over-complicated, and I'm not so sure a company financially "on the rocks" is going to make all of that fancy crap reliable.

In short, Jeep doesn't need to follow Land Rover. (I can say that - I own an '04 Discovery, lol.) An LR3/4 is hard enough to modify, and I would trust it any farther than I could push it - literally. Likely the same with this GC.

 

[winkosmosis]

realdeal, why do you hate your IFS?

 

[modelbuilder]

My IFS has never given me any problems.

 

[winkosmosis]

They took a step way back with the blobby WJ-esque styling. This is 2010, bar of soaps are no longer in fashion

 

[getlost4x4]

:clapsmile:clapsmile:clapsmile:clapsmile

They took a step way back with the blobby WJ-esque styling. This is 2010, bar of soaps are no longer in fashion

 

[modelbuilder]

Who did you sell your Commander to?

 

[realdeal]

realdeal, why do you hate your IFS?

My experience is limited to the XK, but:

1) It feels significantly weaker than a front axle (bumps, crawling, etc.)
2) It doesn't like to be lifted over 2" unless you drop the front cradle, which I'm not a fan of.
3) When you do lift it, EVERYTHING is out of whack, and you need offset upper balljoints to fix the camber. Tires like this: \\ // (front view)
3) No flex.
4) The little bit of flex you do get (w/o swaybar) allows the spindle to come into contact with the strut when unloaded (due to short A-arms).
5) In general, harder to modify and more crap to go wrong or get loose, and it's more expensive.

I hate IFS.

BUT, I absolutely love my XK and consider the IFS the only main gripe I have. The flexless front end is somewhat compensated for with QuadraDrive II.

 

[Root Moose]

First Commercial

First commercial for the new Grand.

Does this smell like Jeep has found it's mojo?

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/10/...ercial-released?icid=sphere_searchsphere_news [ scroll down to the video ]