Ummmm....Just bring back the original!

Earlier this week, word was leaked that Jeep will be ending the Liberty after this model year, and bringing back the beloved Cherokee for 2014.

Now...with the disclaimer that I have never actually owned a Jeep Cherokee, I can say I have always wanted one, and I have never really heard anything bad about them aside from raw towing ability.  The 4.0 liter straight 6 engine they had is reputed to be a hacker, so much in fact, that if I ever do decide that I want to adopt the hobby of car maintenance, my two choices would be a late 90's Cherokee, or an mid 90's Bronco(Junk yards are full of F-150/Bronco drive trains).

This announcement that the Cherokee name is coming back should be met with rejoicing, and would be if they simply started cranking 2001 Cherokee's off the line again.  I would be one of the first people in line for them, assuming they priced them in the mid 20K range.

However, these are New and Improved.  And more than a little, well, ugly.

Picture from yahoo autos. 
 

I don't know...I kind of like the reassuringly blocky lines of the original.  Details are thin yet on specs for this thing.  It's estimated since it's replacing the Liberty that there will be a 4 cylinder and a 6 cylinder option. 

It still might warrant a little bit of interest on my part, but it won't keep me from looking on craigslist for a 2000 in great shape.