Friday, Nov. 6, 19$2 — North he ey Photo submitted The 1993 Jeep Grand Wagoneer offers a standard 5.2 litre V8 engine with a trailer towing capacity of 6500 Ibs. It comes with such standard features as leather interior, climate control, four-wheel anti-lock brakes and ail-the-time four-whee!-drive. Check out the new Grand Wagoneer at Mountview Jeep Eagle, 1600 Marine Dr., North Jeep Grand Wagoneer Luxurious 4X4 comes with just about everything imaginable as standard equipment Van. TEST DRIVE WITH ITS car-like unitized body construction and coil-spring rear suspension, the Jeep Grand Cherokee set new standards for hand- ling, ride and comfort in the mid-sized sport-utility class when it was introduced earlier this year. Ride and handling are par- ticularly important traits in this class because most 4WD_ sport- utility vehicles are driven on, rather than off, the pavement most of the time. The Grand Cherokee has a great highway ride, even for rear passengers who are often the victims of a very stiff rear truck suspension. Hot on the Grand Cherokee’s heels comes the new Grand Wagoneer, a luxury version of the Grand Cherokee with a standard V8 engine. The Grand Wagoneer badge has been absent from the Jeep lineup for a couple of years. The new Grand Wagoneer is considerably smaller and lighter than the old model which had its origins in the 1962 Wagoneer, but its high level of luxury and com- fort is in the same mold as the original version. The Grand Wagoneer sits at the top of the Grand Cherokee hier- archy, equipped with just about every imaginable option as stand- ard equipment. A permanently engaged four- wheel-drive system, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, a four-speed automatic transmission, leather interior, exterior woodgrain trim and interior woodgrain inserts, driver’s side airbag, keyless entry, aluminum wheels, and a premium sound system with six Jensen speakers are just some of its standard features. The Grand Wagoneer combines luxury, performance and utility in a way that wouldn’t have seemed possible ten years ago. Grand Wagoneers can be easily distinguished from Grand Chero- kees by their woodgrain appliques on the sides and rear liftgate. Tinted glass, gold trim and attrac- tive aluminum lattice wheels round out the Grand Wagoneer’s handsome, functional appearance. The standard 5.2-litre V8 engine, a re-tuned Dodge truck engine, offers 30 more horsepower than the Grand Cherokee’s 4.0- lie inline six-cylinder engine. More importantly, the V8 has more torque at lower engine revo- lutions (285 lbs ft @ 4000 rpm) — an important consideraticn for towing purposes. Chrysler marketing repre- sentatives believe this is the main reason buyers will chocse the Grand Wagoneer over the six- eylinder Grand Cherokee. “It’s the pulling power of the 5.2, especially in a towing situa- tion, that’s going to attract people to this engine,’’ said Al Motta, Manager of Jeep Engine Programs at the vehicle’s introduction. ‘*The Grand Cherokee with a V8 has a gradability factor nearly 50% bet- ter than the Ford Explorer with a v6.” Chrysler’s engineers define gradability as a fully loaded vehi- cle’s ability to climb a hill at 55 mph without losing speed or re- quiring the driver to downshift to maintain that speed. The 5.2-litre V8 increases the Grand Wagoneer’s tow capability (with an optional Class-4 towing package) to 2948 kg (6500 Ibs) from 2370 kg (5000 lbs) in the Grand Cherokee with the six- cylinder engine. The optional Class-4 trailer tow group includes frame-mounted hitch, seven-wire body harness, heavy-duty radiator, auxiliary transmission oil cooler, and a 3.73 axle ratio. By the way, the 5.2-litre V8 engine is available as an option on some Grand Cherokee models. The V8’s extra two cylinders take their toll in extra gasoline, though. The Grand Wagoneer’s urban mileage is rated at 17.3 litres per 100 kilometres (16 mpg), and 11.8/24 on the highway. The permanently engaged four-wheel-drive system is fully automatic, adjusting the distribu- tion of power to the front and rear wheels as needed. The system provides improved driving safety by providing immediate traction and steering control on slippery surfaces. The Grand Wagoneer'’s interior is opulent. Traditional ‘‘biscuit’’-style leather bucket seats with six-way ar five-passenger Layout longitudinal front engine/all-the-time 4WD Engine 5.2-litre OHV V8, se- quential multi-port fuel injection Horsepower 220 @ 4,800 rpm Torque 285 lbs-ft @ 3,600 rpm Transmission four-speed automatic Curb weight 1,648 kg/3,633 Ibs. Wheelbase 2,690 mm/105.9 in. Length 4,480 mm/176.7 in. ah ata Price as tested $36,149 Base price $34,310 Type four-door, sport-utility wagon power adjustment are standard equipment. Woodgrain trim on the dashboard, a centre console with floor-mounted shift lever, an overhead console, power door locks, power windows, and automatic temperature controi are all standard fare. My only complaint with the in- terior is the spare tire in the cargo area takes up too much room, and there’s no rear seat headrests. The air-conditioning system uses ecologically friendly Ri34A refrigerant which contains no harmful chlorofluorocarbons, the chemical responsible for harming the ozone layer. At the time of its introduction, the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer were the only sport- utility vehicles with a standard driver’s side airbag. Width 1,760 mm/69.2 in. Height 1,640 mm/64.9 in. honing capacity 2,948 kg/6,500 S. Payload 521 kg/1,150 Ibs. Cargo capacity (rear seat down) 2,254 L/79.6 cu. ft. Fuel economy City 17.3 L/100 km, 16 mpg; Hwy 11.8 L/t00 km, 24 mpg Warranty Complete three-year/ 60,000 km or one-year/20.000 km + Powertrain seven yrs/ 115,000 km.