Jeep History - 70's
The Cherokee is launched.
Expansion
Entering the 1970's, Jeep was poised to expand. In February 1970, American Motors acquired the Kaiser Jeep Corporation. At this time, daily production of military and civilian vehicles together numbered 175 per day. By the end of this decade, production was up to 660 per day.
One of the first things that American Motors did on acquiring the company was to split up military and civilian production - just as the US was experiencing a boom in the commercial 4WD market.
Jeep Cherokee
1974 witnessed the first pairing of the now inseparable words "Jeep" and "Cherokee" with the introduction of the Jeep Cherokee. A sporty, two-door version of the Wagoneer, the Cherokee featured bucket seats, a sports steering wheels, and racy detailing designed to appeal to younger, more intrepid drivers.
A four door version of the Cherokee was available by the late 70's.
