Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Jeep designers must be blind.

• Jeep® Cherokee sets a new standard for mid-size sport-utility vehicles
• Jeep Grand Cherokee – the most awarded SUV ever – gets even better
• Jeep Wrangler Rubicon celebrates 10th anniversary with new model

The all-new Jeep® Cherokee raises the bar and is ready to take the mid-size SUV segment by storm – on any continent. Following close behind its world premiere in New York last month, the Jeep Cherokee has its international debut at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show on April 20.

“Jeep is our global brand and, since its inception, the all-new Jeep Cherokee was conceived and developed not only for our home market of the U.S. but also for world markets,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO of Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC, and Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific Region, Fiat S.p.A. “The new Jeep Cherokee will become a benchmark in the global mid-size SUV segment by combining the segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission, refined on-road manners and fuel efficiency with the capability that only Jeep can deliver and that our customers have learned to trust.”

The Jeep Cherokee, which will be known in China as “Zi You Guang,” will arrive in volume to dealer showrooms in the China market by the end of 2013.

“China is the largest market for the Jeep brand outside of the U.S., and one out of every five vehicles in the mid-size SUV segment is sold in China. Hence, it just makes sense that the new Jeep Cherokee has its international debut in Shanghai,” said Manley.

Boasting a segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission, the Jeep Cherokee delivers up to 30 percent fuel consumption improvement over the outgoing model. At launch in China, two innovative 4x4 systems will be available for all-weather capability: Jeep Active Drive I with a one-speed power transfer unit (PTU) and Jeep Active Drive II with a two-speed PTU and low range.

Housing all this efficiency and capability is a new exterior designed for the future with global appeal. Jeep designers were inspired to create a vehicle that moves Jeep into the next era with a shape that is efficient without losing Jeep DNA and design heritage. The all-new Jeep Cherokee is a vehicle that not only looks efficient and capable, but is efficient and capable – in all on-road, trail and weather conditions.

The interior of the Jeep Cherokee is modern and sophisticated, incorporating high-quality materials and precision craftsmanship alongside high-tech features, such as an available 7-inch full-color reconfigurable instrument cluster and award-winning 8.4-inch touchscreen multimedia command center.

For international markets, the Jeep Cherokee will be also available with a diesel powertrain in both left- and right-hand-drive versions.

Jeep Asian Premieres
Two more Jeep vehicles will have their Asian premieres in Shanghai: the new Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition.

The newest Jeep Grand Cherokee becomes the most fuel-efficient Grand Cherokee ever, courtesy of an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission, powerful yet thrify engines and the new Eco Mode feature. Grand Cherokee also offers renowned all-terrain, all-weather capability and class-leading refinement through its premium design and technology features.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 10th Anniversary Edition is the most capable factory-produced Jeep Wrangler ever. Created as a tribute to 10 years of Wrangler Rubicon history and to the Jeep brand’s most passionate enthusiasts, the special model is available in select exterior colors, with a striking red leather interior, and a host of standard off-road equipment seen for the first time on a production vehicle.

China’s current Jeep product portfolio comprises Compass, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited and Patriot. Now, the all-new Jeep Cherokee joins the lineup to become the benchmark for mid-size SUVs.

Jeep brand sales in China in 2012 set a record with more than double the prior year’s result and led by the Jeep Compass. Jeep brand was the first to create a foreign joint venture in China in 1983 with the creation of Beijing Jeep Corporation, and today, Jeep remains the fastest-growing mainstream brand in this critical market.