The Jeep Cherokee XJ – Where Did it all Begin?

The Jeep Cherokee XJ compact SUV was conceived in the late 1970s when a team of engineers from American Motors Corporation (AMC) and Renault developed several design sketches

Text: Gautam Sen

Images: Marcello Gandini Archives/AMC Press Images

Based on historical accounts, the Jeep Cherokee XJ compact SUV was conceived in the late 1970s when a team of engineers from American Motors Corporation (AMC) and Renault developed several design sketches. While the early drawings reflected a European influence, most of the styling cues were attributed to AMC’s American designers, led by Richard Teague, the company’s longtime head of design.

As was the practice in those days, the same see-through mock-up proposed two alternative design details and door configurations

Check out this early press image of the Jeep Cherokee XJ, and you will see that overall form and proportions seem to have been derived from the Gandini-designed VGR proposal

Upon learning that General Motors was developing a new two-door Blazer based on the S-10 pickup, AMC decided to create an all-new four-door model alongside a two-door variant. French-born American engineer François Castaing, who had joined AMC from Renault, played a key role in developing a more compact transmission, which contributed to reducing the vehicle’s overall weight.

The front had a cleaner look with wide rectangular headlamps

As we can see, the Cherokee's grille and bumper received more detailing and ornamentation

When the Cherokee XJ debuted in 1984, it became the first Jeep model built with a unibody construction. This design made it both rigid and lightweight, enabling impressive performance – even when equipped with AMC’s new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine.

The Cherokee XJ was offered in both two- and four-door configurations, with identical overall dimensions, track, and wheelbase. Initially produced in Toledo, Ohio, the XJ was later manufactured in China by Beijing Automotive, in Argentina, in Valencia, Venezuela, and in Cairo, Egypt, by Arab American Vehicles.

But AMC designer Richard Teague chose to go with a fully opening tailgate

The images of the other vehicle featured here showcase a prototype from the early 1980s, likely around 1981. This prototype, known as the Alpine VGR (Véhicule Grande Randonnée, meaning 'long-distance travel vehicle'), was designed by Marcello Gandini and built under his supervision at the newly established prototype facilities of Coggiola.

Yet, we can see from the rear three-quarter images the similarities in the design of the Alpine VGR and that of the XJ Cherokee

We believe that it may have served as a foundation for the final production version of the Cherokee XJ.

With the success of Matra’s Simca-based Rancho, launched in 1977, industry experts began to realise that crossovers with limited off-road capabilities and leisure vehicles of a more practical nature were gaining in popularity.

An additional product range would surely make good commercial sense for Renault, hence the project to develop a modest crossover/SUV to be produced by Alpine, which Renault had acquired in 1973, at its Dieppe factory.

The front overhang of the Alpine VGR was more pronounced than that of the XJ Cherokee

Unfortunately, the Stateside penchant for ornamentation made the Cherokee's design more American in style and taste

One of Marcello Gandini’s first projects after signing on as Renault’s exclusive design consultant in mid-1979 was to develop a crossover concept similar to the Matra Rancho. The design aimed to offer both three- and five-door versions, featuring modest-sized wheels but significant ground clearance.

The left side of the vehicle was the three-door version with no side impact cladding

Built around Renault mechanicals, the vehicle was planned to use the 120 bhp 2.0-litre (122 cu in) engine from the Renault 20 TS/21, with a 2.1-litre diesel alternative. Given the niche’s novelty, Renault sought a cost-effective solution, leading to the decision to use a body made primarily of SMC (sheet moulding compound).

Gandini’s design for Project VVA (Véhicule Vert Alpine, or 'Alpine Green Vehicle', later renamed VGR) featured matte-painted plastic cladding along the sides, wrapping around the front and rear as integrated bumpers. Competing against two in-house proposals from Renault’s design studio, Gandini’s concept was initially approved for further refinement. The development process continued at Sergio Coggiola’s facilities in Turin.

The second prototype underwent several refinements, eliminating the intricate valance panel and pillar cladding. It evolved into a more modern and well-balanced design, moving away from the Range Rover-inspired lines of the initial version.

The right side version featured a pair of doors for the five-door version, with side impact cladding

As we notice the similarities, we also notice that the Jeep received decidedly chunkier rubbers with bigger wheels, which made the vehicle look more butch

The revised model featured wraparound headlamps and indicators, along with a redesigned grille in the classic vertical style. Notably, this second prototype appears to have served as inspiration for an iconic vehicle introduced across the Atlantic: the Jeep Cherokee XJ Series.

As Renault increased its stake in American Motors Corporation (AMC), which owned Jeep, the company decided to focus its limited resources on developing the Jeep Cherokee XJ Series. As a result, the VVA/VGR project was shelved. However, Gandini’s Coggiola-built prototype was sent to Detroit, where it likely influenced the final design of the Cherokee XJ. Do you agree?

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