It’s a fairly safe bet that only one car company will celebrate its 70th Anniversary in 2011. Why? Because seventy years ago, in 1941, the world had far more serious issues with which to cope. It was as the manufacturer of a military vehicle that the Jeep marque was born.

Jeep vehicles have evolved over the years to the stage where its flagship Grand Cherokee is in the higher-echelon of luxury SUVs. Which is not something that pleases died-in-the-wool Jeep fans, but a necessity in the modern era.

The first new vehicle to be released in what will be a busy anniversary year for Jeep is an all-new version of the Grand Cherokee which has a new V6 engine, off-road enhancements and very competitive pricing.

Perhaps the biggest news with the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a price list that starts at just $45,000 (plus dealer and government charges). This makes it the cheapest Grand Cherokee ever sold in Australia, as well as the best equipped. While the strong Australian dollar is clearly a factor, there’s also a new-found confidence in the Chrysler organisation following its recent brush with death and its subsequent rescue by Fiat.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee has a choice of two petrol engines, an upgraded version of the existing 5.7-litre Hemi V8 and a new 3.6-litre Pentastar V6. A turbo-diesel will be added later this year.

The Pentastar V6 has Variable-Valve Timing (VVT) on inlet and exhaust valves and produces maximum power of 210 kW at 6350 rpm and 347 Nm of torque at 4300 rpm. VVT has been added to the Hemi V8 which generates 259 kW and 520 Nm. The V8 continues to use Jeep’s Multi-Displacement System (MDS) to cut out four of the eight cylinders when the vehicle is cruising in light throttle conditions.

Both engines are mated to five-speed automatic transmissions.

Maximum towing capacity is 2268 kg with the V6 and 3500 kg with the V8.

The 2011 Grand Cherokee comes in three variants: Laredo, Limited and Overland. Laredo is available only with the new 3.6-litre V6 engine; Limited with both V6 and Hemi V8; and Overland only with the Hemi.

The most significant change is the addition of Jeep’s new Quadra-Lift air suspension which provides five different ride heights, two above and two below the Grand Cherokee’s standard ground clearance of 205 mm. The two raised settings lift the vehicle by either 33 mm (Off Road 1) or 66 mm (Off Road 2) depending on the difficulty of the terrain; while the two lowered settings are Aero Mode, down by 13 mm for improved cruising performance and lower fuel consumption, and Park Mode (down 38 mm) for ease of entry/exit and to assist in roof rack loading.

With the front air dam removed (!) and Quadra-Lift set on Off Road 2 mode, the Grand Cherokee has a 34-degree approach angle and a 27-degree departure angle. Quadra-Lift operates automatically or may be controlled manually via console controls. It comes as a $2500 option in Laredo, adds $3250 to Limited and is standard in Overland.

There’s a choice of two 4WD systems: Quadra-Trac II, standard in Laredo and Limited; and Quadra-Drive II, a package option in Limited and standard in Overland. Quadra-Trac uses a two-speed transfer case that works with a number of sensors to anticipate and correct tyre slippage. Quadra-Drive adds a rear Electronic Limited-Slip Differential to distribute engine torque and further reduce the risk of low traction.

The Selec-Terrain traction control system, standard in all models, provides five different settings: Automatic, Sport, Snow, Sand/Mud and Rock.

We were able to test all of these 4WD systems, as well as Hill Descent Control, during our recent review of the new Grand Cherokee in north-east Tasmania and included some quite challenging off-road sections, one over a rugged and rocky bush track, the other in soft sand dunes. The big Jeep coped well with all conditions.

Back on the bitumen the big Jeep cruised effortlessly, albeit with that characteristically soft, wallowing feel designed to suit the tastes of the American market. The vehicle's on-road performance has been improved with new independent front and rear suspension systems, the new body has increased torsional stiffness to improve handling and ride.

We were pleased to see that the Grand Cherokee’s gear select lever has now been moved over to the right-hand side of the centre console, avoiding the long reach needed to change gears in the outgoing model. Also that the spare tyre is now stored under the rear storage area floor rather than being bolted beneath the vehicle as in prior models.

Standard features in all 2011 Grand Cherokee variants include front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags, ABS brakes, Electronic Stability Control, Enhanced Accident Response System, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, reversing camera, tyre pressure monitoring cruise control, keyless entry and 30 Gb hard drive media system.

The Limited adds front and rear parking sensors, premium audio and 20-inch alloys; while the Overland also gets Blind Spot Monitoring and Cross Path Detection systems, Forward Collision Warning, adaptive cruise control, powered lift gate, satellite navigation, leather dash and trim and dual-pane sun roof.

The complete 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee range, with prices (excluding on-road costs) is:
Grand Cherokee Laredo 3.6-litre petrol: $45,000 (automatic)
Grand Cherokee Limited 3.6-litre petrol: $55,000 (automatic)
Grand Cherokee Limited 5.7-litre petrol: $60,000 (automatic)
Grand Cherokee Overland 5.7-litre petrol: $69,500 (automatic)

Contact your local Jeep dealer for driveaway prices.