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This first-year Jeep Grand Cherokee is a ’90s time warp, and it’s for sale

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Given the ubiquity of the Jeep Grand Cherokee over the past 25+ years, it’s easy to forget what a big deal this vehicle was when it was new. Launched with great fanfare at the 1992 Detroit Auto ShowChrysler president Bob Lutz and Detroit mayor Coleman Young drove it up the steps of Cobo Hall and into the lobby through a plate-glass window. The model was supposed to replace the Cherokee but at the dawn of the modern SUV era, there was plenty of demand for both, with the Cherokee serving as the Grand Cherokee’s more-affordable showroom-mate. The ritzy Grand Cherokee’s marquee model was the Limited, and that version is the remarkably well-preserved 1993 example we have here, for sale right now on eBay Motors.

Finished in Poppy Red Clearcoat, this Grand Cherokee Limited features the iconic gold trim and gold-accented wheels, a livery borrowed from the XJ Cherokee Limited. As a Limited, it’s also equipped with a leather interior, power windows, and power seats. Under the hood is the tried-and-true 4.0-liter inline-six with 190 horsepower. It’s hooked to a four-speed automatic (lower trims were available with a five-speed manual) and four-wheel drive. The Grand Cherokee came standard with four-wheel anti-lock brakes, and Jeep also boasted that the Grand Cherokee was the only 4×4 with a standard driver’s-side airbag.

This example has only 74,000 miles and benefits from a claimed $7,000 in recent work, including A/C service, a new headliner, new brakes, and new suspension components, among other items. The paint is claimed to be original. The Buy It Now price is $14,500, which, if it sells for that kinda of money, suggests these early ZJ Grand Cherokees may be following the XJ Cherokee up the price appreciation ladder. Despite the model’s popularity when new, it seems unlikely there are a whole lot left in this condition. Check out the ’93 Grand Cherokee TV commercial below to get an idea of what all the fuss was about.

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