November 11^th, 1999                                    

New OE bullbars available for Jeep® Grand Cherokee

DaimlerChrysler has announced the release of an original equipment bull bar for the new Jeep® WJ Grand Cherokee. The bullbar will be available for the Grand Cherokee Laredo and the Grand Cherokee Limited.

The new bar has been extensively tested in the US for air bag compatibility, including barrier crash testing.

According to Chrysler Jeep Australia’s senior manager of parts marketing Mr Jeff Simon, months of work went into making the bar perfectly suited to the new Grand Cherokee: "We conducted exhaustive testing in the deserts of the United States with the designers of the Grand Cherokee and with Mopar, the parts and accessory arm of Chrysler," he said.

"The desert testing was to ensure that engine cooling and air flow was not affected by the bars. We crash tested cars fitted with the bull bars to check for the correct deployment of the air bag systems and to check that the crumple zones and other safety aspects of the Grand Cherokee were not adversely affected," Mr Simon said.

The new bull bar is manufactured in Australia and it is the first time that Mopar has permitted its name to be associated with a bar manufactured outside the US.

The bull bars have also been tested to comply with local Australian Design Rules (ADRs).

"We believe that Australian customers require this type of product for their Jeeps," said Jeff Simon.

"Jeeps are designed as serious off-road vehicles and as long-distance tourers, and frontal protection is a high priority for many owners."

The new bull bar is constructed of aluminium alloy and has mounting points for optional long-range driving lights. The bar is available from all Chrysler and Jeep dealers throughout Australia.