zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Trucks
/
Watch MotorWeek Drive An Ultra-Rare Manual Jeep Grand Cherokee
Watch MotorWeek Drive An Ultra-Rare Manual Jeep Grand Cherokee-May 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:13:11

The has been around for 26 model years, and of the many millions built, only a few hundred came with manual transmissions. One of them can be seen in this 1992 episode of MotorWeek, so get ready to feast your eyes on the greatest Grand Cherokee ever.

Oh yes, I said it. The greatest Jeep Grand Cherokee ever. The two , both with platform names “WK,” have gotten softer, lacking solid axles and the approach and departure angles they need to be real off-road contenders (they’re much more comfortable, it’s worth noting). The before those was decent, though it had a really , and was saddled by questionable Chrysler-built automatic transmissions (admittedly, the 4.7-liter came with a decent 45RFE or 545RFE).

And then there was the AMC-designed —the original Grand Cherokee that —which had potential to become just as legendary in the off-road world as its smaller brother, the XJ. But then, in 1993 and 1994, Chrysler made a boneheaded move: they changed the transmissions.

The first generation Grand Cherokee, when it launched for the 1993 model year, came with two unkillable gearboxes that have made the XJ a mainstay in the off-road world: the Aisin-Warner AW4 four-speed automatic and the lovely Aisin AX-15 five-speed manual.

But Chrysler dropped the stout AW4 after 1993 (I’m not entirely sure why, but I’d guess it either had to do with cost or shift quality, the latter of which the company wanted to make buttery smooth for its new luxury SUV), replacing it with the much less reliable Chrysler-built 42RE (V8 models had better transmission options, but nothing as stout as the AW4). The AX-15 was also taken off the option list during the 1994 model year.

Finding a 1993 model with the AW4 automatic isn’t that difficult (and a good way to tell if the Jeep has the “good trans” is to see if there’s a first gear lockout option on the shifter—the AW4 did not have one). But spotting a manual that isn’t a has become borderline impossible. Rumor has it that only a few hundred were ever built, with guessing a total production run of only 400.

That makes the Jeep in this video the holy grail of Grand Cherokees to enthusiasts. It’s got stick axles (admittedly, the rear axles on these weren’t know for their strength) with lots of articulation, good approach and departure angles, a great transfer case, one of the stoutest engines in history, and a tough and fun to shift transmission.

It’s essentially just an XJ Cherokee with a bit more space, coil springs for a little more ride comfort, and a cushier interior. It’s a reliable and capable Jeep, but not as rough around the edges as its younger brother, and that’s really what the Grand Cherokee was meant to be. (In fact, it was actually originally meant to be a ).

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Trucks
The Proper Spot For A Spare Tire Is On The Rear Door
The Proper Spot For A Spare Tire Is On The Rear Door
A few days ago, Ford of the , and the crowd went wild, in part, because of what looks like a rear-mounted spare. It’s exciting news in an era when most automakers have their spare-tire placement all wrong. The rear door is indeed where the thing belongs. I feel very...
May 19, 2026
Here's Why Drivers Love And Hate Racing The King Of The Hammers
Here's Why Drivers Love And Hate Racing The King Of The Hammers
The 2018 went down in February, on the rocks and open lake beds of Johnson Valley. It could just as easily be Mars, though. And you get a great perspective of what a rock-crawling desert race is like from these drone shots. The King Of The Hammers, sorry, I mean...
May 19, 2026
Watch MotorWeek Drive An Ultra-Rare Manual Jeep Grand Cherokee
Watch MotorWeek Drive An Ultra-Rare Manual Jeep Grand Cherokee
The has been around for 26 model years, and of the many millions built, only a few hundred came with manual transmissions. One of them can be seen in this 1992 episode of MotorWeek, so get ready to feast your eyes on the greatest Grand Cherokee ever. Oh yes, I...
May 19, 2026
The Bentley Bentayga's Fingerprint Security Box Doesn't Look Like It Fits Anything
The Bentley Bentayga's Fingerprint Security Box Doesn't Look Like It Fits Anything
For all you owners out there, Mulliner can now fit a bio-metric security storage box in your car. To be fair, it’s a very cool idea because, as you know, I love . It really sounds like some science fiction stuff. The fingerprint sensor will open the door to a...
May 19, 2026
The Jeep Jeepster Concept Puts Modern Off-Road Tech Under 1960s Style
The Jeep Jeepster Concept Puts Modern Off-Road Tech Under 1960s Style
The Jeepster concept we’ll meet at the 2018 Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah next week takes a new and loads it up with OEM off-road upgrade parts. But the coolest part is the raked windshield and roof, which look straight off the ’66 Jeepster. Easter Jeep Safari is the...
May 19, 2026
The Incredible 25,000 Mile Road Trip Through Africa That Had This Man Wrenching For His Life
The Incredible 25,000 Mile Road Trip Through Africa That Had This Man Wrenching For His Life
In 1955, one brave Frenchman’s thirst for adventure took him on an epic 25,000 mile road trip through Africa that would test his wrenching abilities to their fullest. Stranded in a 120 degree barren desert, the options were: wrench or die. He chose to wrench. David Galand posted the tale...
May 19, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved