- Jeep’s XJ Cherokee has long been a popular starting point for modifications.
- This one has been fitted with a Dominator Track System.
- It also comes with the factory wheels and tires, for when spring finally comes.
With much of the U.S. currently gripped by by sub-freezing temperatures and drifts of snow, browsing car auctions for classics might not be the first thing on your mind. But maybe we can tempt you with an all-weather machine that’s made for this moment: a hardy body-on-frame Jeep SUV mounted on four snow-shredding tracks.
This 2001 Jeep Cherokee is like a snowmobile that seats five, and it’s up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. This was the final year of the XJ-generation Jeep Cherokee, a vehicle that is still loved for its rugged simplicity. With a torquey and durable 4.0-liter inline-six and 4-wheel drive with a true low rang, it’s hard to imagine a better snow vehicle out of the box. And that’s before we add the tracks.
This Cherokee’s wheels have been swapped out for Dominator Tracks built by the American Track Truck company of Michigan.
The Cherokee itself is an accident-free example most recently registered in Minnesota, don’tcha know. It’s equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and has 184,000 miles on the odometer. The 4.0-liter straight-six was rated at 190 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque, and the breed has the durability and service life of a granite headstone. Oh, and the original 15-inch wheels come with the package, for when the spring finally arrives.
As it sits now, this Jeep is perfect for driving up a ski hill. Or going to the grocery store in Buffalo.
Make tracks to BaT to place you bid. This auction ends on January 25.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.