Jeep Comanche

Jeep Comanche
Jeep Comanche Pioneer
Overview
Manufacturer	Jeep (American Motors, later Chrysler)
Production	1985–1992
Body and chassis
Class	Compact pickup truck
Body style	2-door truck
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel and four-wheel drive
Related	Jeep Cherokee
Powertrain
Engine	2.1 L Renault J8S turbo diesel I4 2.5 L (150 CID) AMC 150 I4 2.8 L GM LR2 V6 4.0 L (242 CID) AMC 242 I6
Transmission	4-speed Aisin AX-4 manual 5-speed Aisin AX-5 manual 5-speed Peugeot BA-10/5 manual 5-speed Aisin AX-15 manual 3-speed A904 automatic 4-speed Aisin AW-4 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	113 in (2,870 mm) Short Wheel Base 119.6 in (3,038 mm) Long Wheel Base
Length	194.0 in (4,928 mm)
Width	71.7 in (1,821 mm)
Height	64.7 in (1,643 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Jeep CJ-8 (Scrambler) Jeep Gladiator
Successor	Dodge Dakota

113 in (2,870 mm) Short Wheel Base

The Jeep Comanche (designated MJ) is a pickup truck variant of the Cherokee compact SUV (1984–2001) manufactured and marketed by Jeep for model years 1986-1992 in rear wheel (RWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) models as well as two cargo bed lengths: six-feet (1.83 metres) and seven-feet (2.13 metres).

During the mid-1980s, according to AMC chairman W. Paul Tippett Jr. "People are finding trucks a reasonable and sophisticated alternative to cars." To satisfy the demand and to compete with Japanese competitors, both AMC and Chrysler were preparing pickups for the 1986 and 1987 model years (respectively). Also at this time the financial health of AMC was poor and the automaker was in need of cash as it was preparing a new line of midsize vehicles (the Eagle Premier) scheduled to be produced at a factory being built in Canada (Brampton Assembly), but the best thing the company had going for it was its popular line of Jeeps and introducing a compact Jeep pickup truck in the fall of 1985 was expected to help.

The Jeep Comanche was introduced in mid-August 1985, at a lavish event staged at the ballroom of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino (currently Bally's Las Vegas) for AMC's over 1,500 North American dealers. American Motors included Chinese officials as part of the negotiations establishing Beijing Jeep (now Beijing Benz). The goal was to produce and sell Comanches in China through this joint venture.

The new trucks were unveiled by Jose Dedeurwaerder, an engineer and international business executive with 23 years of experience with Renault, and now appointed as AMC's new president. The base price of the two-wheel drive model was $7,049 (adjusted only for inflation equal to US$15,697 in 2017 dollars), making it the lowest priced Jeep model for the 1986 model year.

American Motors' Jeep designers based the Comanche MJ body, styling, engineering, and drivetrain on the Cherokee XJ, which had been introduced for the 1984 model year. The Comanche had a more conventional removable cargo box and conventional body-frame design. By contrast, the Volkswagen Caddy and Dodge Rampage are technically coupe utilities, not trucks because the cargo bed is an integral part of the body structure and not removable.