Jeep gives Cherokee its yin and yang with Sageland and Urbane concepts

Sat, 19 Apr 2014

Among the design concepts Jeep has prepared for Beijing Motor Show this year are a pair of Cherokees dressed up in contrasting schemes.

In one corner we have the Sageland concept pictured above, drawing its inspiration from Shangri-La with an Ivory Peal tri-coat and bronze trim for the grille, fascia appliqués, roof rack, sunroof, mirror caps and exhaust tips. Inside it's all earth tones with light gray Nappa leather seats and red and blue top-stitching inspired by traditional Chinese themes.

Meanwhile the Urbane concept (pictured right) takes the Cherokee in a different direction with steel blue metallic paintjob and black accents. Inside it adopts the theme of Chinese calligraphy with Piano Black accepts and dark red Nappa leather.

Though Jeep isn't saying with which engines these specific concepts are equipped, the Cherokee is available in China with the same engines offered here: the 2.4-liter MultiAir four or the 3.2-liter Pentastar V6, both mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Scroll down for the official press release.

Jeep® Brand Debuts Four Design Concept Vehicles at the Beijing Motor Show

- Four Chinese-inspired design concepts push boundaries of Jeep brand
- Jeep Zi You Xia design concept showcases a sophisticated interpretation of the all-new Jeep Renegade
- Jeep Wrangler Sundancer brings premium luxury to the iconic model
- Jeep Cherokee Sageland and Urbane reflect distinctive Chinese inspired personalities

April 20, Beijing - The Jeep® brand introduced four new design concepts at the 2014 Beijing International Motor Show today. The quartet takes Jeep production models and injects them with fresh elements inspired by millennia of Chinese culture and the sense of style, fashion and flash-forward trends found in megacities such as Shanghai and Beijing.

The four design concepts include two interpretations of the all-new Jeep Cherokee – the Sageland and Urbane – a premium, luxury version of the iconic Jeep Wrangler called the Jeep Wrangler Sundancer, and the Zi You Xia, a special design concept based on the all-new 2015 Jeep Renegade.

"Jeep is the fastest growing imported brand in China and this is our largest Jeep market outside the U.S.," said Mike Manley Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific and President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "It makes sense for us to use this year's Beijing Motor Show as a platform to explore how consumers react to these new Chinese-inspired ideas that may find their way into future production vehicles."

Jeep Zi You Xia Design Concept Following its world premiere appearances at the 2014 Geneva and New York auto shows, the all-new Jeep Renegade now debuts as a special design concept in Beijing. Zi You Xia, which means "rebel", is a new concept that highlights a more sophisticated aspect of the Renegade's personality.

Inspired by the colors of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, the concept is finished in a Warm Chocolate Gray with a contrasting Dark Anodized Bronze color accentuating the grille throats, front fog lamp bezels, rear lower fascia, skidplate, tail lamp insert bezel and badging.

The roof panel, grille surrounds and door mirror caps are painted a Dark Charcoal to provide harmonious accents and a more premium appearance throughout. Unique 20-inch, Dark Anodized Bronze alloy wheels contribute additional visual flair as well as hinting at the vehicle's outstanding on-road and off-road driving dynamics.

The interior of the concept boasts an energetic ambience with rugged and functional details crafted in high quality materials. The Piano Black color is accompanied by grey A-pillars and headliner. The air vents, speaker bezel, gear shifter, steering wheel bezels, cup holder and door release handles are finished in an Anodized Copper, reflecting the metallic color common in sports equipment. The rich brown leather upholstery on the seats and door panels feature 'ombre' grey/black plaid fabric inserts, that were inspired by traditional menswear suiting and tailored patterns, adding just the right touch of sophistication to the sporty Zi You Xia.

True to the Jeep brand's heritage, the all-new Renegade is the most capable small SUV and the first in the world to offer a nine-speed automatic transmission. Designed for global markets and manufactured with up to 16 powertrain combinations – the most ever in a Jeep vehicle – it has been engineered to meet the specific requirements of customers all around the world.

Jeep Cherokee Sageland and Urbane Design Concepts

Earlier this year the new Jeep Cherokee was launched in the Chinese market featuring modern Jeep design, best-in-class capability and the first nine-speed automatic transmission in its segment. With the introduction of the Sageland and Urbane design concepts, the Jeep brand demonstrates how the reach of the Cherokee could expand in new directions.

The design theme and color palette for the new Jeep Cherokee Sageland was inspired by the historical landmarks and natural sceneries found throughout the mystical expanse of the Shangri-La Region.

The concept's exterior is painted in Ivory tri-coat Pearl with bronze grille collars and front and rear fascia appliques. The Daylight opening (DLO), roof rack, door mirror caps and exhaust tips are painted in Satin Bronze chrome, enhancing the overall look and adding to the unique style of this vehicle.

Inside Sageland, the earth-tone color palette continues with a combination of light, neutral grey Nappa leather seats with red and water blue accent stitches. The seats also feature stitching inspired by traditional Chinese knot design, and the pattern on the door appliques derived from the color and finish of Chinese ornamental door knobs.

Jeep Cherokee Urbane Design Concept
The new Jeep Cherokee Urbane design concept couples the night life of a modern megacity with glamour and elegance. The Urbane features a sleek, Maximum Steel metallic exterior with Hyper Black accents on the roof rack, door mirror caps, grille collars, front and rear fascia's, wheel finishing's, vehicle badging and antenna.

The cabin of the Urbane embraces the Chinese spirit, colors and patterns. Chinese calligraphy is referenced through the use of bold brush stroke patterns in the decorative door applique accentuating the predominantly Piano Black interior. The seats are finished in dark red Nappa leather with bright red accent stitching. The floor mats feature a unique decorative pattern inspired by traditional Chinese windows.

In China, the all-new Jeep Cherokee is equipped with the 3.2-liter V-6 Pentastar and the 2.4-liter MultiAir petrol engines coupled with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Jeep Wrangler Sundancer Design Concept
For the Beijing Show, Jeep designers combined the legendary capability of the Jeep Wrangler with a touch of sophistication - and a sense of fashion - to create the Jeep Wrangler Sundancer.
The design concept is painted a tri-coat Chocolate Brown metallic color with gold accents. The fender flares feature a unique Golden Bronze tone-on-tone ghosted pattern, and the windows also have bronze tinted glass.

The unique front and rear bumpers are equipped with linear LED lighting and have been painted a tri-coat Chocolate Brown metallic color coupled with Golden Bronze accent inserts to match the exterior. Completing the Jeep Wrangler Sundancer's impactful exterior appearance are 20-inch pale gold Billet aluminum wheels with polished gold inserts, and a unique multi-piece Billet aluminum fender badge.

The Wrangler Sundancer's interior features Axis II perforated seat inserts and exclusive Berry Baltique Semi-Aniline leather, the same leather found in the most luxurious labels in fashion. The door panels and upper instrument panel are wrapped in premium leather and hand sewn provocateur lace stitching can be found on the outer deck seam, steering wheel and center lid console. The gold color scheme from the exterior continues into the interior, with new 'Gold Rush' interior paint on the door handles, steering wheel bezel, grab handle, gear shifter trim ring bezels and sill plates.

Finishing touches to the interior include Romina premium leather trimmed/wrapped, floor mats.
The Jeep Wrangler line-up in China currently includes the Sport, Sahara and the Rubicon model on which the Jeep Wrangler Sundancer design concept is based. Jeep Wranglers in China are fitted with 3.6L V-6 Pentastar petrol engines, or 3.0L V-6 Pentastar petrol engines.

In 2012, a previous special version of the Jeep Wrangler, the Wrangler Dragon, debuted at the Beijing Show as a design concept and it is now being produced and sold not only in China, but also in markets such as the U.S., Australia and Puerto Rico.

Nearly 800,000 people attended the Beijing Motor Show in previous years.

About the Jeep® Brand
Built on more than 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence. The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Cherokee, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models sold outside North America are available in both left and right-hand drive configurations and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC products are available in more than 160 countries around the world.

By Noah Joseph