On and Off Road
Designers and engineers like to create purpose vehicles, although many of us don't use the vehicle as it was intended. Most notably the G-Glass is engineered to be used off road, however, few who drop over $100K for the truck ever take it off-road. Other examples include track-ready two-seaters used as date night cars. One car looked to buck that trend and cross the line between off-road and urban commuter, the Jeep Cherokee XJ. In the process created the crossover segment that is quickly replacing the family sedan. In 1984, Jeep introduced its first unibody truck. It parted from the ladder frame used since WWII and revolutionized the market with what some consider is the first successful crossover SUV. With room for 5, four doors, a hatchback and softer suspension the truck was an instant hit. Luckily, the engineers used a lot of components from the Wrangler, including the engines, transfer cases, differentials, and axles. The result was a comfortable and capable truck that...