Ford had Eddie Bauer and Jeep had Orvis. The moss-green color of this ZJ-era Grand Cherokee is a giveaway that this was one of the Orvis Edition Jeeps, which was basically a unique paint job, an upgraded interior, and a name that sounded kind of outdoorsy, perfect for mid-1990s marketing. They weren’t much more special than that…same 4.0L six, same 5.2L V8, same solid off-road capability as any other ZJ made. And that durability is what has made ZJs the darlings of the Tough Truck crowd…these Jeeps can take abuse like none other. They can fly, they can move, and they can take a good hit. Well, usually…this Orvis Edition doesn’t live up to that built-like-a-brick-house repuation so much. Upon landing what looks like a relatively mild jump the front axle immediately relocates itself about half a foot closer to the rear axle than it is supposed to be, bringing the fun to a grinding halt. What failed? We don’t know, but we’d like to find out. You know…research. At least the GC was able to haul itself off of the course afterwards!
