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1985 Jeep Comanche Bonneville Salt Flats Pickup |
Based on the Cherokee-based Jeep MJ platform and unusual unit-body construction with a variety of powertrain options, the advanced Jeep Comanche two-door pickup truck was produced between 1986 and 1992. Despite its relatively brief production cycle, the Comanche was remarkably successful, drawing market share from the “Big Three” during its run. Chrysler’s buyout of AMC in the late 1980s was the cause of the popular Comanche’s demise, given the auto giant’s own competing product, the Dakota intermediate truck. In addition to two and four-wheel drive variants, the Comanche was also available with a powerful 4.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine, with strong bottom-end torque and 173 hp on top when introduced in 1986 as an option beginning with the 1987 model year. In factory-stock trim, the Comanche was capable of startling performance, with acceleration from rest to 60 mph in under 10 seconds, en route to 16.9-second quarter-mile times. To introduce the new 4.0-liter engine and demonstrate its potential, a Comanche was specially prepared in late 1986 with a modified engine for a series of sanctioned speed runs at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. There, the Comanche set four World Records, two National Open Records and seven National Truck Records, achieving speeds in excess of 140 mph in the process! These remarkable achievements were achieved by American Motors, one of the most innovative automotive marques in America, which actually had a very successful history in speed competition and racing to improve its production automobiles and reap the press potential of its efforts. Other notable AMC successes included wins at the Nurburgring 1,000 km endurance race in 1979 and Craig Breedlove’s 1968 assault on Bonneville in the famed AMX. |
Records Set by the Bonneville Comanche: World Records: ½-KM Standing Start ¼-Mile Standing Start 1-KM Standing Start 10-KM Standing Start National Open Records: ½-KM Standing Start ¼-Mile Standing Start National Truck Records: ½-KM Standing Start ¼-Mile Standing Start 1-KM Standing Start 1-Mile Standing Start 10-KM Standing Start Flying Kilometer (KM) 140.255 mph Flying Mile 141.381 mph |
'Description courtesy RM Auctions' |