The 2011 Grand Cherokee->ke936 is one of Jeep’s->ke40 crown jewels, a luxury SUV that has stood the test of time since it was first introduced in 1992. Now on it’s 18th year, the Grand Cherokee remains one of Jeep’s hottest selling models.

Now that Jeep is celebrating its 70th anniversary, it only seems fitting that when the company decided to roll out special edition models commemorating their 70 years in existence, the Grand Cherokee would be chosen as one of them.

Joining the Grand Cherokee in this prestigious line-up is the Jeep Wrangler->ke425, the Jeep Liberty->ke2404, the Jeep Patriot->ke1383, and the Jeep Compass->ke40. Similar to all the 70th Anniversary models, the special edition Grand Cherokee received a lot of interior upgrades and will come in three different color options: Bronze Star, Bright Silver, and Black.

Anybody interested in owning any one of these SE models will be happy to know that Jeep is scheduled to roll them out to dealerships no later than April of this year.

Details on the Grand Cherokee 70th Anniversary Edition after the jump.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 70th Anniversary Edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 70th Anniversary Edition
  • Engine/Motor: 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine
  • Horsepower: 280 horsepower
  • Torque: 260 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,800 rpm
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior and Interior

The Jeep Grand Cherokee 70th Anniversary Edition’s exterior gets a special 70th Anniversary badge to go with a set of 20” wheels with Mineral Gray pockets. Meanwhile, the interior of the luxury SUV will receive Dark Olive leather seats with perforated inserts with Chestnut accent stitching and piping, a Door bolster and armrest in Dark Olive and wrapped with Chestnut accent stitching, a center console in Dark Olive perforated leather wrapped with Chestnut accent stitching, Berber floor mats with Chestnut binding, a new satin chrome-plated, graphite anodized paint and Black Lacewood finish, unique cluster overlay and needles, and a 70th Anniversary logo on the radio screen.

Performance

No upgrades were done on the Grand Cherokee 70th Anniversary Edition so expect the same 3.6-liter V-6 engine that delivers 280 horsepower and 260 lb/ft of torque at 4,800 rpm on them. There’s another power train for the Grand Cherokee - a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine that produces 360 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque – although we doubt that this particular variant will come with the special edition model.

Pricing

Seeing as the Grand Cherokee is the most expensive SUV of the five models, the price tag for the 70th Anniversary Edition model is the highest among the group at $36,495.

Competition

As Jeep’s entry to the premium mid-size SUV segment, the Grand Cherokee has its share of competitors, but in the interest of not featuring all its rivals, we’re going to stick to the two models that it has always lined up against: the Ford Explorer->ke342 and the Toyota 4Runner->ke1844.

One of the powertrains that come with the Explorer – and the closest in spec to the base level Grand Cherokee – is the 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 290 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque. Compare that to the Grand Cherokee’s numbers and it's a draw.

The Toyota 4Runner 4x4, on the other hand, comes with a 4.0 Liter V6 engine that cracks out 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque. In terms of output, the slight edge goes to the Grand Cherokee.