TOLEDO, Ohio — Plans to end production of the Jeep Cherokee have been put on hold because of continuing strong demand for the vehicle, DaimlerChrysler AG said.
The Cherokee had been scheduled to be retired in March 2001, when a new version was to have been introduced. Demand for the current Cherokee model will dictate how long production will continue, said DaimlerChrysler spokeswoman Jodi Armstrong.
Jeep sold a record 199,333 Cherokees worldwide last year, up 7 percent from 1998. Overseas sales slipped slightly to about 34,000 from 40,000 the year before.
"It definitely has staying power," Armstrong said
Jeep is building a new assembly plant in Toledo, next to the current Cherokee plant, to assemble a new sport utility vehicle.
The Cherokee, introduced 17 years ago, was one of the first SUVs on the market. Cherokees now are priced $17,000 to $25,000.