New Jeep Liberty Debuts @ NAIAS in 2013 with 3.2 Pentastar V6

[whitejeep1989]

more pix of mule here:
http://blogs.insideline.com/straight...nge-a-bit.html

The Liberty (hopefully renamed Cherokee) will be debuting in 2013 at NAIAS in Detroit.
According to LeftLane News, the Liberty will be getting a smaller displacement version of the 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 and a 9-Speed automatic transmission.

From LLN:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/jeep-lib...n-january.html

By Mark Kleis
Thursday, Mar 15th, 2012 @ 3:01 am

Chrysler currently has just one Pentastar V6 in its lineup for the U.S., a 3.6-liter unit, but that may change when the Detroit Auto Show kicks off in January next year.

Two sources within the United Auto Workers union have confirmed to Automotive News that 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 will make its world debut in the successor for the Jeep Liberty that is set to be unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January.

The Liberty successor will not only gain a new 3.2-liter V6, but also a nine-speed automatic transmission from ZF, the same supplier that created the eight-speed automatic found in multiple Chrysler products. Although no horsepower or fuel economy figures were given, it is likely that Jeep is going to make a very serious effort to capture the best-in-class fuel economy title with this new vehicle – something not usually associated with the rugged off-road-minded Jeep brand.

Some hints at this coming engine have been leaked directly from the lips of none other than Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, who said at the Geneva Motor Show, “If we had known the eight-speed [transmission] was coming, we would have made the [3.6-liter] Pentastar a 3.2-liter [V6].”

[TigerinColorado]

9 speed Auto!

[milbournosphere]

9 speed auto? Sounds like the Libby is about to have an identity crisis. Seeing the fiat body over the underpinnings doesn't exactly help either...

[Live-Wire]

Fix the - worse then a Toyota from the mid 90's to mid 00's exhaust kink/hang - and I'll look at it again... All I see is hanging exhaust pipe in that picture... that's absolutely not acceptable in 2012, especially in an off road vehicle!!! (which should have as flat an underbody as possible, to at least give the illusion that nothing will get damaged if you take it thru some rocks, ruts, and mud).

[Bigtree]

One word. Ugly.

[Bakounine]

The Liberty (hopefully renamed Cherokee)

FWD-based crossover? Hopefully it will NOT be called Cherokee.

[urogolf]

ummm rebodied test mule!?

[BRealistic]

One word. Ugly.

One word. Illiterate.

[Air and water do mix]

Fix the - worse then a Toyota from the mid 90's to mid 00's exhaust kink/hang - and I'll look at it again... All I see is hanging exhaust pipe in that picture... that's absolutely not acceptable in 2012, especially in an off road vehicle!!! (which should have as flat an underbody as possible, to at least give the illusion that nothing will get damaged if you take it thru some rocks, ruts, and mud).

It's a test mule. It's probably safe to say that since it won't even be shown for nearly a year that it's simply undergoing testing and not exactly it's final shakedown before production begins.

[whitejeep1989]

FWD-based crossover? Hopefully it will NOT be called Cherokee.

I don't dispute the fact that the Cherokee has definitely found it's place as an off-road legend, but the ones that are off-roaded are most likely used vehicles on their second or third owners. While new, most Cherokees served duty as the suburban family station wagon. Since that role in modern times is now expected to be played by a FWD-based, unibody CUV, why shouldn't a future Cherokee deliver what the marketplace expects? Land Rover is doing just fine with 2 FWD based CUVs, so why wouldn't Jeep? As long as Jeep offers the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler as true off-roaders, the rest of the line-up does not need to be so hardcore.

[Jordan 191]

Jeep mules with a plunging Alfa grille. Nothing to see here, move along, this is normal.

[S4cabriofox]

Jeep mules with a plunging Alfa grille. Nothing to see here, move along, this is normal.

The whole body is from a Giulietta...

[BRealistic]

The whole body is from a Giulietta...

You would think the entire concept of a test MULE was just invented yesterday.

It usually just the basic drivetrain and suspension popped in another heavily modified vehicle for testing.

[kraut_pauer79]

One word. Ugly.

Two Words: Test Mule

[watsontb]

Two Words: Test Mule

Three Words : I love pancakes

[brandonwillyumz]

I really hope this doesn't become the Cherokee. The worst decision Jeep ever made was to cease use and production of the 4.0 straight-6. I mean, that engine is starting virtually perfect, aside from MPG.

[whitejeep1989]

I really hope this doesn't become the Cherokee. The worst decision Jeep ever made was to cease use and production of the 4.0 straight-6. I mean, that engine is starting virtually perfect, aside from MPG.

Test drive anything with the Pentastar V6, and see if your opinion of the old 4.0 still stands. There is a lot of love here for the 4.0, but it was not a modern engine by any means, in terms of NVH, fuel economy, and power delivery. Only about 180 HP out of 4 liters of displacement and about 17 MPG HWY. I owned two Jeeps with this engine and I honestly can say I'm glad Jeep moved on from that nostalgic lump.

[200HP4dr]

I really hope this doesn't become the Cherokee. The worst decision Jeep ever made was to cease use and production of the 4.0 straight-6. I mean, that engine is starting virtually perfect, aside from MPG.

Really? That 4.0 wasn't as great as everyone around here says it was. I mean, it worked for the time, but how long can you excuse an engine that blows head gaskets, cracks manifolds and has a relatively inefficient head design?

Chris

[whitejeep1989]

It's a test mule. It's probably safe to say that since it won't even be shown for nearly a year that it's simply undergoing testing and not exactly it's final shakedown before production begins.

I do think that there are a few positive things to be gathered from the mule.

1. Wicked ground clearance. They must be serious about this having off road capability.
2. Stretched Giulietta body indicates size/wheelbase of final vehicle. The final body will obviously be different.

[Turbio!]

One word. Ugly.

One more word: mule.

[Turbio!]

Fix the - worse then a Toyota from the mid 90's to mid 00's exhaust kink/hang - and I'll look at it again... All I see is hanging exhaust pipe in that picture... that's absolutely not acceptable in 2012, especially in an off road vehicle!!! (which should have as flat an underbody as possible, to at least give the illusion that nothing will get damaged if you take it thru some rocks, ruts, and mud).

Dude, it's still a year out. Patience.

[clutchrider]

People can't be dense to think this design from Alfa is the actual car

First it was established that it was the "mule" so they are simply testing the engine, tranny and other components. Second Jeep would NEVER let the Liberty/Cherokee go soft in looks. I would as noted above expect something similar to a JGC with more straight edges.

I'm still waiting to see what they do with it design wise to determine if I get this or the GC for the wife.

[Mosbius Designs]

People can't be dense to think this design from Alfa is the actual car

This is TCL, it really shouldn't surprise you that much.

[whitejeep1989]

People can't be dense to think this design from Alfa is the actual car

First it was established that it was the "mule" so they are simply testing the engine, tranny and other components. Second Jeep would NEVER let the Liberty/Cherokee go soft in looks. I would as noted above expect something similar to a JGC with more straight edges.

I'm still waiting to see what they do with it design wise to determine if I get this or the GC for the wife.

I don't disagree with most of what you said here, but Jeep's design history under Cerebus and Daimler was not stellar (see the original Compass CUV and countless crappy interiors). Even the 1st gen Liberty was soft and googlie-eyed, compared to the Cherokee it replaced, and that Liberty was designed while Chrysler was still independent. Now, I don't think this new Chrysler/Fiat would ever make the same design mistakes as past stewards of the Jeep brand.

[Turbio!]

I don't disagree with most of what you said here, but Jeep's design history under Cerebus and Daimler was not stellar (see the original Compass CUV and countless crappy interiors). Even the 1st gen Liberty was soft and googlie-eyed, compared to the Cherokee it replaced, and that Liberty was designed while Chrysler was still independent. Now, I don't think this new Chrysler/Fiat would ever make the same design mistakes as past stewards of the Jeep brand.

Rumor has it that it looks a bit like the Trailhawk concept and the Grand Cherokee, with a bit of the Renegade concept mixed in.

[clutchrider]

I don't disagree with most of what you said here, but Jeep's design history under Cerebus and Daimler was not stellar (see the original Compass CUV and countless crappy interiors). Even the 1st gen Liberty was soft and googlie-eyed, compared to the Cherokee it replaced, and that Liberty was designed while Chrysler was still independent. Now, I don't think this new Chrysler/Fiat would ever make the same design mistakes as past stewards of the Jeep brand.

I agree that the last Liberty (read not current) was a bit more googlie-eyed to keep with their trend of circular headlamps (a la Wrangler). However I may be in a minority when I say that I really actually like the current look of the Liberty. It reminds me more of the Cherokee and dare I say less feminine/goofy in style. I would think minor exterior upgrades (headlamps, taillamps, panel sculpting in some areas) and an upgraded interior with the PV6 would do wonders for this car.

[Air and water do mix]

I do think that there are a few positive things to be gathered from the mule.

1. Wicked ground clearance. They must be serious about this having off road capability.
2. Stretched Giulietta body indicates size/wheelbase of final vehicle. The final body will obviously be different.

Oh, I wasn't meaning to imply that information couldn't be gleaned from the spy photos of the mule, only that it was nowhere near production ready.

Certainly details such as exhaust hangers aren't worked out!

[blue70beetle]

Really? That 4.0 wasn't as great as everyone around here says it was. I mean, it worked for the time, but how long can you excuse an engine that blows head gaskets, cracks manifolds and has a relatively inefficient head design?

Chris

I thought the manifold cracking issue was fixed by the late '80s-early '90s. My old '86 had one.

Also, didn't realize there was a significant problem with head gaskets.

I'll give you that it's an inefficient head design. The high-output 4.0 makes far less power than many smaller engines, but it's old. Very old. Our current analytical tools for things like combustion events are much different than 20 years ago, when the newest 4.0 would have been designed, and engine management technology has also changed significantly in that time.

[Boxer2100]

I really hope this doesn't become the Cherokee. The worst decision Jeep ever made was to cease use and production of the 4.0 straight-6. I mean, that engine is starting virtually perfect, aside from MPG.

Aside from being the last of the once-common low revving pushrod inline 6s in the US, what made the 4.0 special?

Durable and torquey, I get, but virtually perfect?

[Quinn1.8t]

Really? That 4.0 wasn't as great as everyone around here says it was. I mean, it worked for the time, but how long can you excuse an engine that blows head gaskets, cracks manifolds and has a relatively inefficient head design?

Chris

I think most people like it for its robustness and the fact that is is simple and easy to work on. Blown head gastkets isn't really a widespread problem. Can't argue with the cracked manifolds and inefficient heads though. Like any other engine, it has its share of problems.

[DCCD]

DIY!

[horsty69]

If it looks anything like that or is a cuv it should not be named the Cherokee...I am excited to see it though..I think with Fiats help this could be a step up in quality.

[kobra kai]

Jeep Rogue.

[MK5golf]

Jeep Rogue.

srsly

[Hostile]

Jeep Rogue.

srsly