Diesel Powered Jeeps Could Arrive in N. America by 2013

[whitejeep1989]

Jeep's CEO says the brand is close to making the decision to build diesel engined "larger" Jeeps for North America.

From The Detroit Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/article/2011040...l-engines-U-S-

Future Jeep models in the U.S. could be powered by diesel engines, Michael Manley president and CEO of the Chrysler’s Jeep brand said today.

Manley said diesel engines could be offered on the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee in the U.S. and Canada within two or three years. Diesel engines could help Jeep improve its fuel economy and would give customers another option as gas prices increase.

Diesel fuel is currently selling in metro Detroit at an average of $4.04 a gallon, according to AAA, compared with an average of $3.82 for unleaded regular. But a diesel engine is about 30% to 35% more fuel efficient than a gas engine in the same vehicle.

“Diesel in some of our models makes absolute sense,” Manley said today in Auburn Hills where he revealed six specialized Jeeps that will participate later this month at a the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab Utah. “But I still have to make sure there is a sufficient marketplace here to make it make sense from a business perspective.”

In Europe, more than 80% of Jeeps purchased have diesel engines, Manley said. Also, advances in the technology used to meet fuel emission regulations are improving and will help Chrysler simultaneously meet regulations in the U.S. and Canada.

Next week, Chrysler is launching a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Europe. The midsize SUV would be the most likely vehicle for a diesel engine in the U.S. and Canada.

The redesigned Grand Cherokee, introduced last year, is Jeep’s best-selling model in the U.S. However, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, gets a combined 16 miles per gallon with two-wheel drive compared with a combined 20 mpg for a similar Ford Explorer.

“When you look at the U.S. market, diesel applications in the larger vehicles probably make more sense then they do in the smaller ones, purely because of the cost of the powertrains and the treatments that are required,” to meet emission standards, Manley said."

[BigSkyGLI]

Didn't they already try the CRD in the Liberty without much success? As I remember there was quite a price premium over the gas engine and not a lot of fuel economy difference.

[soldierguy]

Didn't they already try the CRD in the Liberty without much success? As I remember there was quite a price premium over the gas engine and not a lot of fuel economy difference.

Yep...there was the Liberty CRD for 2 years, and the Grand Cherokee CRD for a couple years. The Liberty used an Italian 2.8L 4-cylinder, the Grand used a Benz-sourced 3.0L V6.

There was a pretty hefty price premium, but like VW TDI's, it's tough to do a direct price comparison with the base gas engine because of a fair amount of additional standard equipment that has nothing to do with the engine. I think Jeep (and possibly VW) do that to absorb some of the cost of the engine...luxury/convenience options tend to have a pretty high profit margin, whereas the diesel engine option is either at a slight loss or just barely breaking even. Bump up the options load as standard equipment with the diesel, and the cost of those options will help cover the actual cost of the engine.

As far as a fuel economy bump for the diesels, it is more informative to look at things in terms of percentages. A bump from 16 mpg to 20 mpg might not seem like much, but it's actually a 25% improvement, which is pretty substantial. A similar bump in a car that starts at 30 mpg would put it at 37-38 mpg, which seems like a larger jump, but in terms of percentage it's the same.

The Liberty had a loyal following, but it was only offered for 2 years...the engine couldn't meet more stringent emissions requirements, so it was cancelled. Also there were some torque converter issues with the Liberty's transmission...shuddering, harsh shifts...Jeep's answer was a computer flash that (from what I've read) hurt fuel economy and power. The Grand was a good vehicle, but again...not on the market long at all.

[Shomegrown]

Didn't they already try the CRD in the Liberty without much success? As I remember there was quite a price premium over the gas engine and not a lot of fuel economy difference.

That engine sucked ass though.

[Internal Combustion]

Diesel Jeeps in 2013? Awesome, too bad the world will be over. Maybe this will be the cataclysmic event.

[Bonanza]

Those engines are on the same cargo ship filled with Alfa Romeos. Also the ship's crew will play advance copies of Duke Nukem forever.

[BRealistic]

That engine sucked ass though.

yeah. I never understood why they went through all the trouble to bring a diesel to the US market, and they brought THAT diesel to the US market. Way to show US buyers what modern diesels can be like.
That's like letting your new girl/boy friend meet your crazy uncle that eats bugs before letting them meet your sane family..

[84cgtturbo]

You can have one now if you got a few bucks, and a Jeep YJ for the conversion -




http://www.hpamotorsport.com/tdijeep.htm

[Fritz27]

Diesel Jeeps in 2013? Awesome, too bad the world will be over. Maybe this will be the cataclysmic event.

Only if they make a 4.0 I6 Diesel.

What a glorious end.

[TurboMinivan]

The redesigned Grand Cherokee, introduced last year, is Jeep’s best-selling model in the U.S. However, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee gets a combined 16 miles per gallon with two-wheel drive compared with a combined 20 mpg for a similar Ford Explorer.

The EPA, however, puts the 2011 Grand Cherokee V6 2WD at 16/23 and 18 mpg combined:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/2008c...f.jsp?id=30186

What an asshat.

(Some might try to say, "yeah, but the Grand Cherokee V8 is rated at 16 mpg combined." While I freely admit that claim is true, a V6 Explorer isn't exactly "similar" to a V8 Grand Cherokee, now is it?)

[The Igneous Faction]

If I remember correctly, didn't early XJ's (maybe Comanche's too) come with a Renault diesel option?

[someguy123]

We would still have the 3.0L TDI Mercedes engine if Mercedes didn't break up with Daimler-Chrysler.

This new generation of Grand Cherokee was designed to house that engine, instead of being shoe-horned in the previous gen.

[whitejeep1989]

It is a sad, sad day when a corporate president and CEO doesn't even know the simplest, most basic things about his own damn product. To wit:



The EPA, however, puts the 2011 Grand Cherokee V6 2WD at 16/23 and 18 mpg combined:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/2008c...f.jsp?id=30186

What an asshat.

(Some might try to say, "yeah, but the Grand Cherokee V8 is rated at 16 mpg combined." While I freely admit that claim is true, a V6 Explorer isn't exactly "similar" to a V8 Grand Cherokee, now is it?)

That error should be attributed to the author of the article. The statement about the GC vs. Explorer is not in quotation marks, and the author never attributes those words to the CEO.

[TurboMinivan]

That error should be attributed to the author of the article. The statement about the GC vs. Explorer is not in quotation marks, and the author never attributes those words to the CEO.

Thank you for restoring my faith in Mr. Manley. I apologize to readers everywhere (and Mr. Manley in particular) for having jumped to this incorrect conclusion.

At this time, I officially retract my 'asshat' pronouncement, and instead reassign it to the author of that article--Brent Snavely.

Carry on.

[duke774]

Current smaller Jeep's with VW diesels get really impressive economy

Let's see how the new bigger ones are going to be

[Turbio!]

Thank you for restoring my faith in Mr. Manley. I apologize to readers everywhere (and Mr. Manley in particular) for having jumped to this incorrect conclusion.

At this time, I officially retract my 'asshat' pronouncement, and instead reassign it to the author of that article--Brent Snavely.

Carry on.

How could anybody named "Brent Snavely" not be an asshat?

[SSLByron]

Thank you for restoring my faith in Mr. Manley. I apologize to readers everywhere (and Mr. Manley in particular) for having jumped to this incorrect conclusion.

At this time, I officially retract my 'asshat' pronouncement, and instead reassign it to the author of that article--Brent Snavely.

Carry on.

Well, there's your pr--

How could anybody named "Brent Snavely" not be an asshat?

--oblem.

Damnit.

[MCTB]

That engine sucked ass though.

No it didnt. The transmission it was mated to sucked ass. They had to massively detune it in order to save the ****ty lump of a transmission it was hooked up to. 160 hp and 295 lb ft is a pretty respectable amount right there and that is the motor that they put in the J8 that everyone loves to leg hump around here (difference is an added 30 hp and 50 lb ft more).