US Grand Cherokee diesel pushed back?
Reliable source oh2o wrote that the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel has again been pushed back, and is now set for a third quarter 2013 launch. The delay is consistent with delayed launches of numerous other vehicles, with the largest public delay the launch of the Dodge Dart GT (née Dart R/T). The Ram 1500 diesel has also been pushed back; both use the same VM 3-liter V6 diesel engine, a state of the art powerplant to be used, in modified form, by Maserati.
The diesel provides the best fuel economy of any engine in the Grand Cherokee, as well as the most torque; while it is short on horsepower compared with the gasoline engines, many buyers may find the high torque and relatively low fuel usage to be a satisfactory tradeoff. The torque would especially be handy for those who tow heavy loads or up steep or long hills, while the turbocharger on the diesel should help owners in high altitudes.
The same engine is due to be used in the Ram 1500, while the forthcoming Ram ProMaster uses a 3-liter four-cylinder Fiat Powertrain diesel. Chrysler already uses this engine in the export 300C/Lancia Thema.
Chrysler has had numerous delays over the last year; observers have attributed the problems to over-ambitious scheduling coupled with higher quality standards, the absence of the late Dan Knott, and suppliers’ reluctance to ramp up production out of fear that the car market will suddenly collapse, even as the market continues to expand. Most likely, these are all factors, along with the rapid influx of inexperienced engineers, managers, and, to a lesser degree, factory workers.
