[Allpar News System]

Jeep has started producing Grand Cherokees with the VM six-cylinder diesel for North America, according to a source who sent in this photo. The diesel option is expensive, but dramatically improves fuel economy and provides stronger torque at lower engine speeds than either of the gasoline engines. With 240 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel is capable of towing 7,400 pounds, more than any competitor’s V-8 equipped SUVs; yet, it provides better fuel economy than even the Pentastar V-6 engine.  Like the gasoline V6 and V8, it comes with the eight-speed automatic as its only transmission. The diesel’s responsiveness and efficiency are due in part to an extremely high pressure fuel injection system (with 29,000-psi / 2,000-bar fuel pressure, dubbed MultiJet II); swirl-control intake ports; and a variable-geometry turbocharger that cuts turbo lag. The 24-valve, dual-overhead-cam engine is based on a block and bed plate made of..

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[y2kyamr6]

I wonder if they are pre production models. Just checked the order system and they are not there yet. Hopefully soon, I have several people that want to order.

 

[marlon_jbt]

Diesels are in production.
RHDs are in production.

For exports. I haven't seen ONE NAFTA PRODUCTION diesel yet?

Then again I am not at work today, but last night... nothing.

 

[Longtimejeep]

NAFTA diesel production doesn't start til 5/13.

 

[marlon_jbt]

NAFTA diesel production doesn't start til 5/13.

^ That.

Do we even have all the parts on hand?! I'd bet we don't.

 

[PCRMike]

"variable geometry turbo". Echoes of VNT?

 

[Hemi 265]

Diesels are in production.
RHDs are in production.

For exports. I haven't seen ONE NAFTA PRODUCTION diesel yet?

Then again I am not at work today, but last night... nothing.

I'll assume most RHD's are for Australia. We can't get enough of the GC here. They are now starting to reach 1000 sales per month and i presume most are diesels. The GC actually outsold the Ford Falcon last month. Not the same segment but that's got to be the fist time in decades that a Mopar outsold a Falcon here.

 

[waspie]

"variable geometry turbo". Echoes of VNT?

VWs have been that way for a while. The libby CRD was, too. Without actually knowing for sure I'll still say I think most light duty diesels use variable geometry turbos.

 

[y2kyamr6]

Any idea when dealer ordering will open up?

NAFTA diesel production doesn't start til 5/13.

 

[guyverfanboy]

I look forward to one of these babies in the Wrangler/Wrangler Unlimited!

 

[Mike V.]

"variable geometry turbo". Echoes of VNT?

Variable nozzle technology was first conceived by Garret in the early 50s. While the CSX-VNT was one of the first production vehicles to use variable nozzle or variable geometry turbo it has been a technology that has progressed substantially over the years. We are in like gen 3 or 4 for the VNT and several manufacturers use variable area in their turbocharger.

In reality, two cars were available in 1989 with VGT technology, the Shelby CSX-VNT and the Honda/Acura Legend Turbo. Note the turbo in the Honda was not a Garret and Honda loves to proclaim to be the pioneers if variable geometry turbos.

BTW, the CSX-VNT and, ironically, the Fiat Croma in 1990 were the first cars to use a Garret VNT.

Mike

 

[Bearhawke]

I'll assume most RHD's are for Australia. We can't get enough of the GC here. They are now starting to reach 1000 sales per month and i presume most are diesels. The GC actually outsold the Ford Falcon last month. Not the same segment but that's got to be the fist time in decades that a Mopar outsold a Falcon here.

1,000 a month? That comes out to ca. 12K a year; not bad at all for a RHD variant of any NA (North America) Detroit Three model and that not counting other right hook markets like RSA, UK, India, etc.

 

[MoparNorm]

I'll assume most RHD's are for Australia. We can't get enough of the GC here. They are now starting to reach 1000 sales per month and i presume most are diesels. The GC actually outsold the Ford Falcon last month. Not the same segment but that's got to be the fist time in decades that a Mopar outsold a Falcon here.

Most are for the UK, with many going to OZ and possibly a few to Hong Kong.

Has anyone confirmed this engine as a 50 State Engine?

 

[dartndodge]

Most are for the UK, with many going to OZ and possibly a few to Hong Kong.

Has anyone confirmed this engine as a 50 State Engine?

No, Most are for Australia. Total New Jeep sales for All models in the UK for 2012 was 2306 max, yes 2306 units...a 0.11% share. That is 200 more sales than 2011.

Australia is Jeep's largest Non NA market.

Note: Total Jeep sales for Australia in 2012, was 18014......

A little more than the UK, dont you agree?

 

[360VF]

So Jeep claimed just over 1% of the Aus market (2012 sales were around 1.2mil from memory). Not bad considering the choices we have here - there are 43 individual brands for sale, we get nearly all the euro stuff and quite a few Chinese players have entered the market recently - and the GJC diesel is the hot seller out here with the grey nomad set - see plenty of them whereas the previous model was not even on the radar for most buyers.

Now if only I could get Jeep to deliver me a 4x4 manual Patriot - they were disco'd last year here (as I found out last week - even though they are still listed on the official site - the current brochures make no mention of them and has been confirmed by my locl dealer and online searches) - can only get a 4x2 2.0L manual or a 4x4 2.4L limited CVT. Compass sales are also through the roof - but the styling still doesnt do enough for me personally.

 

[JRS200x]

Any idea when dealer ordering will open up?

Dealer ordering is supposed to open up next allocation period, which is early May.

 

[Mike V.]

1,000 a month? That comes out to ca. 12K a year; not bad at all for a RHD variant of any NA (North America) Detroit Three model and that not counting other right hook markets like RSA, UK, India, etc.

The question is... Where is the break even for the cost of engineering, supplying, and assembly the right hand drive variant. Is the break even 12k per year or 20k? Will the variant survive in the future?

Personally 12k per year doesn't seem like much to me. I'd hate to have to justify it.

Mike

 

[dartndodge]

Why this Obsession with cost of RHD??

If you Design AND engineer for both RHD and LHD from the Beginning, then there is NO additional cost to the design.
Rack and pinions? the same Lhd or Rhd, Brakes, no problem, the only change is the Dashboard metal and upholstery (the gauages are the same), pedals? well the normal system now is a pedal box arrangement, where the pedals are a unit. No problem there.

It might come as a surprise to US people but the pedal arrangement is the same LHD or RHD, the clutch is still on the left, throttle on the right. .

Also you must remember that 99% of US made cars were RHD until the mid late teens (19teens).
Then some bright spark realised that Americans may not be able to change gears with their left hand, so changed the steering wheel instead.....very smart.....

You may also be surprised to know, that Japan is a RHD country and always has been, perhaps because of Hong Kong who knows.
So if the Japanese can engineer RHD and LHD cars at the same time from the early 1960s, Im sure the US can.

 

[MoparNorm]

Why this Obsession with cost of RHD??

If you Design AND engineer for both RHD and LHD from the Beginning, then there is NO additional cost to the design.
Rack and pinions? the same

It's not entirely free. Steering, draglink, track bars, etc, are all mirror images, not identical. Extra parts in the system, extra costs.
It's not a great cost, if the economy of scale is large enough, but it's not free either.
If it costs a $1,000 per car, then it's 12 million and there had better be 24 million in profit, at that level, or they won't do it.

 

[marlon_jbt]

An added bonus is now the capability to build them on the same line.