'Renegade' Name Returns for All-New Jeep Liberty Model

CHICAGO, Feb. 7 The 'Renegade' name makes its comeback to the Jeep® lineup for 2002 -- only now it will be worn by an all- new, adventurous model of the successful Jeep Liberty. First used in 1964 on the inside door opening of the Jeep Wagoneer, the Renegade name has always represented the rebellious heart and soul of the Jeep brand, desired by so many Jeep loyalists. Designed for nonstop exploring, the 2002 Jeep Liberty Renegade model made its debut at the 2002 Chicago Auto Show.

``Renegade builds on the Jeep Liberty's expressive appearance and adds rugged design cues taken from the exciting Dakar concept vehicle which inspired Liberty's original design,'' said Rick Aneiros, Vice President - Jeep/Truck Product Design, DaimlerChrysler Corporation.

Living up to the proud heritage of the Renegade name, Jeep Liberty Renegade combines an integrated activity light bar, ``bolted-on'' wheel flares, removable side steps, unique wheels and a two-tone front fascia for the ultimate adventure package.

The custom activity light bar houses four halogen lamps to let the fun continue even after the sun goes down. With 150,000 candlepower, these lamps light the path, whether it is along the rocky terrain of an off-road trail or an evening game of beach volleyball.

``Jeep Liberty Renegade is for the person that wants to have fun 24-hours a day,'' said Clyde Ney, Jeep Studio Product Designer.

Available in Bright Cactus Green, Light Khaki and Bright Silver, Jeep Liberty Renegade features body color grille and cladding, with a two-tone front fascia. Unique Renegade wheel flares appear wider than the standard flares with machined stainless steel bolt heads reinforcing the capability of Liberty.

Trapezoidal wheel openings frame rugged, outlined white letter all-terrain tires mounted on 16-inch six-spoke aluminum wheels. Wheels are color keyed with the Bright Cactus Green exterior or painted graphite with Light Khaki and Bright Silver vehicles. Protective silver tubular side steps with black step pads bolt to Liberty Renegade's uniframe rails for easy ingress and egress. Side steps are easily removable for extreme off-road driving.

The interior of the Jeep Liberty Renegade features well-tailored, supportive front seats with a unique combination of flat woven cloth and leather. These high back seats include seat back map pockets for added storage. Genuine brushed aluminum highlights on the instrument panel add a modern, machined look to the interior consistent with the exterior theme.

Jeep Liberty Renegade features the new 3.7-liter PowerTech(TM) V-6 as standard equipment. Available with either a manual or automatic transmission, this engine provides the most power in its class, with 210 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Renegade models will be available in both two- and four-wheel drive.

A Jeep-engineered, coil spring independent front suspension combines with a link-coil rear suspension to provide exceptional on-road refinement and legendary off-road capability and durability. Liberty is the first Jeep vehicle to offer rack and pinion steering, tuned to give the driver precise control and positive feedback on-road, with enhanced durability for off-road use.

``Our Jeep vehicles are meant to be as enjoyable on-road as they are off,'' said Craig Love, Vice President-Activity Vehicle Product Team.

Sold under the name Jeep Cherokee Renegade, an international version of this vehicle will be available for the 2003 model year in countries around the world. Exclusive to the international model will be low back seats and a unique activity light bar. Jeep Cherokee Renegade will be available with the 3.7-liter PowerTech V-6 and an automatic transmission or the 2.5-liter CRD diesel engine and a manual transmission.

Jeep Liberty exceeds industry-leading quality production targets and is being built at the state-of-the-art Toledo (Ohio) North manufacturing facility. As the Chrysler Group's newest assembly plant, the Toledo North Assembly Plant represents the culmination of best practices from the company's worldwide operations for lean, flexible, high-quality production.

    2002 Jeep(R) Liberty Renegade Preliminary Specifications
    [measurements in inches (millimeters) unless otherwise noted]

    Engine                      3.7-liter PowerTech(TM) V-6
    Transmission                45RFE Automatic
                                NV3550 Manual
    Transfer Case               NV231 Command Trac(R)  NV242 Selec Trac(R)
    Axle                        3.73 ratio (3.7-liter engine)
    Wheelbase                   104.3 (2650)
    Overall Length
     (including spare tire)     175 (4445)
    Overall Width               71.6 (1819)
    Height                      72.5 (1841.5)
    Track (front/rear)          60.0 (1524) / 59.7 (1516)
    Running Ground Clearance    9.7 (247)
    Approach Angle              37.8 degrees
    Ramp Breakover Angle        21.8 degrees
    Departure Angle             32.1 degrees
    Headroom (front/rear)       40.7 (1035) / 42.1 (1069)
    Legroom (front/rear)        40.8 (1036) / 37.2 (946)
    Cargo Volume:
    Rear seat up                29 cu. ft. (821 L)
    Rear seat folded            69 cu. ft. (1953 L)
    Total Volume:
    Rear seat up                132.7 cu. ft. (3758 L)
    Rear seat folded            121.7 cu. ft. (3444 L)
    Curb Weight                 4003 lbs. (1817 kg) (3.7-L 2WD)
                                4251 lbs. (1930 kg) (3.7-L 4WD)
    Assembly Plant              Toledo North Assembly Plant: Toledo, Ohio