Can't wait for the upcoming Jeep Renegade? What you may not know is the term 'Renegade' has already made a well-seasoned appearance in the history of the Jeep brand, with quite a few models bearing the 'Renegade' moniker.
In 1981, the AMC Jeep CJ-7 Renegade was a quality off-road machine, but you had to turn a knob on the wheel hub by hand (from the 4x2 to the 4x4 configuration) and shift "very slowly" whilst putting some muscle into it. Watch this retro review of the 1981 model, which also offered a 4 or 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission, and see how the SUV measured up compared to today's models:
The Jeep CJ-7 was introduced in 1976 and featured a larger wheelbase than the previously released Jeep CJ-5 Renegade, which first appeared in 1972. By 1975, the model sported impressive alloy wheels, big tires, and a limited slip differential-- features that can still be found on Jeep models today.
Curious to see what more than three generations of off-road Jeep technology looks like? Check out the new Jeep models in our inventory and ask our El Paso, TX team about 4x4 technology in 2015.