Jeep Straightline Archives

When they laid out their future product plan in a 12-hour press conference in Detroit two months ago, Chrysler-Fiat officials said the alliance would start selling a diesel Jeep Wrangler with an auto start/stop feature in the fourth quarter of 2010. Little did we know they were talking about Europe. Not the U.S. At a press conference in Detroit. Oh, right. Of course not. We should have known.

Kudos to the Toledo Blade (and Autoblog) for getting the clarification on this detail from Michael Manley, president of the Jeep brand.

As compensation, the Wrangler will possibly, apparently get a version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 later this summer.

Toledo Blade via Autoblog

Categories: Chrysler,Diesels,Fiat,Jeep,SUVs

The Chrysler-Fiat alliance did not bother to bring the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee to the Detroit auto show, even though the redesigned SUV is scheduled to go on sale in the second quarter of this year. There is, however, a working electrified model of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that's slated to go in the Grand Cherokee.

Except it wasn't working when we went by. So several members of the support staff were wrenching on it.

They did manage to get it going again before we left, so there's a quick and dirty video of that after the jump.

Continue reading Chrysler 3.6L Pentastar V6: Fix It Again, Tony?.

Categories: Chrysler,Detroit Auto Show,Jeep

We've been hearing that Chrysler will adopt Fiat's Multiair family of engines, and last night the alliance release specs on some of the engines. Multiair is to Fiat what VTEC is to Honda, so all the engines should have variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust side.

First up are the two 1.4-liter engines, which are slated for use in the too-adorable-for-words Fiat 500 that we've been promised. The normally aspirated version will be rated at 100 horsepower at 6,750 rpm and 95 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 -- a typical subcompact meal ticket.

However, the turbocharged version veers into Mini Cooper S territory with its projected 170 hp at 6,750 and 170 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm.

Multiair technology has also been added to Chrysler's existing 2.4-liter engine (the one whose architecture was originally developed with Hyundai and Mitsubishi). In today's Dodge Avenger, the 2.4-liter is rated at 173 hp and 166 lb-ft. But with the addition of Multiair, Chrysler says it will develop 190 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque.

Chrysler also announced that Fiat's dual-clutch automated manual transmission will make its debut in the next generation of D-segment cars.

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Dodge,Fiat,Jeep

Jeep rooms next to Ferrari at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, so it would have been a sad sight if the brand had nothing new to display. The Jeep Liberty Renegade and Jeep Wrangler Islander don't exactly qualify as new vehicles, but they're brightly painted to give them a shot at standing out from the Ferrari Red.

The 2010 Liberty Renegade is exactly what you remember from the first-gen Liberty Renegade, less the auxiliary light rack. It's a mid-grade trim level between the Sport and Limited trims.  Four-wheel drive is standard, and you get the expected contrasting fender flares and moldings, plus white-letter P235.70R16 all-terrain tires and skid plates. Inside, there's new seat fabric. The Renegade goes on sale in the first quarter of this year; pricing hasn't been announced.

There's also a retro motif to the Jeep Wrangler Islander, which is a throwback to an option group last offered in 1992. That Wrangler, too, came in a flamboyant shade of blue (Surf Blue Pearl Coat). If you can't pull the trigger on that paint code, you can have silver, black or white. But you won't be able to lose the "Tiki Bob" logos adorning the hood and the gray/blue seats.

This option pack also includes Jeep's 17-inch Moab wheels, heavy-duty rubber floor mats and contrasting blue stitching on the steering wheel. Look for a price tag of $1,120 when the Islander group becomes available on regular and Unlimited Wranglers in the second quarter of 2010.

The Wrangler Mountain option group is pretty much the same idea. It also comes with the Moab wheels, while adding tubular side rails, taillamp guards and a fuel filler door from the Mopar catalog. You can get it with Rescue Green, Deep Water Blue or Brilliant Black paint. The cost is a steep $1,820, so the fuel door better be carbon fiber or at least genuine 14-carat gold.

Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Jeep,SUVs

Here's a new TV commercial for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and uh, Ram that starts airing today. Rose Bowl viewers will be the first to see it. There are some cool old vehicles in this ad, but just one new one, the 2010 Chrysler 300.

The 300 is definitely one of the better-looking, better-driving models in the current line, but this commercial lacks specificity and focus. It's part of a new "Coming Home" ad campaign borne out of corporate, and dealers', concern that "consumers do not realize that Chrysler Group has emerged from bankruptcy and is now a different company with a new alliance partner and a healthy product plan."

The ad agency, Fallon, is obviously trying to appeal to the emotions here, but we contend that what "consumers" would really like to see from Chrysler-Fiat are some of those healthy new products that have been promised.

Categories: Chrysler,Dodge,Jeep

This might be our favorite unintended consequence of Fiat's "mentorship" of Chrysler: Instead of occupying its usual spot in luxury row, Ferrari will have its booth smack between Dodge and Jeep at this month's Detroit Auto Show. Oh, yes, and Maserati will be there, too.

That's just how it goes when you're part of the Fiat Group. Evidently, it's hoped you'll come for the Italian sports cars and stay for the, um, Plum Crazy Challenger and whatever the latest going-away-special Viper is. And if you're aching to see another electric car, well, get yourself over to the Fiat 500 EV exhibit.

Detroit News

Categories: Chrysler,Dodge,Ferrari,Fiat,Jeep,Maserati

Toyota recalled nearly 4.9 million vehicles in 2009 -- the most of any automaker in the U.S., the Detroit Free Press reports. This is the first time Toyota has ever led in annual recalls, and of course this milestone is the result of the floor mat debacle during which 4.3 million vehicles were recalled.

Free Press writers crunched the numbers on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Web site. Ford came up second with 4.5 million recalled vehicles -- most of them covered by recalls for cruise control switches that can catch fire, a chronic defect in older Fords.

Next up was GM was 2.2 million recalled vehicles, followed by Hyundai with just over 1 million and Nissan with 700,000+. Chrysler rounded out the top five with 590,000.

You can see the full list in the Free Press article.

Categories: Buick,Cadillac,Chevrolet,Chrysler,Dodge,Ford,GMC,General Motors,Hyundai,Infiniti,Jeep,Kia,Lexus,Lincoln,Manufacturers,Mercury,Nissan,Toyota

Curious whether the new 2010 Honda Accord has an optional neck massager? How about the tow rating on the Ford F-150? And what about those European cars, they're always adding some new totally nonessential technological "feature."

Now there's an easy way to find out. Our 2010 Buyer's Guide lists every model change from every manufacturer. From colors to options to full redesigns, it's all there.

2010 Buyer's Guide 

Categories: Acura,Aston Martin,Audi,BMW,Bentley,Bugatti,Buick,Cadillac,Chevrolet,Chrysler,Dodge,Ferrari,Fiat,Ford,GMC,General Motors,HUMMER,Honda,Hyundai,Infiniti,Jaguar,Jeep,Kia,Lamborghini,Land Rover,Lexus,Lincoln,Lotus,MINI,Maserati,Maybach,Mazda,Mercedes-Benz,Mercury,Mitsubishi,Nissan,Pontiac,Porsche,Rolls-Royce,SMART,Saab,Saturn,Scion,Subaru,Suzuki,Tesla Motors,Toyota,Volkswagen,Volvo

The Jeep brand is the only among the Chrysler sphere that has any real standing internationally. So it's not a surprise that the Fiat bosses will focused more than little attention to what has become an SUV brand.

Here's the plan for Jeep through 2014:

Extra-Small SUV: This entry which is expected for 2013 will be based on a Fiat Group product, almost certainly the Panda.

Small SUV: This space is currently cluttered with the less-than-dynamic duo, the Patriot and its uglier sibling, the Compass. Both will get some modifications for 2010, but by the end of 2012, both will have been killed in favor of one offering, based on a Fiat Group offering.

Mid-size SUV: The Liberty will be slightly refreshed for 2010 and will be replaced by a Fiat Group-based mid-sizer in 2013.

Wrangler: It appears that the Italians know enough to not mess with the heart of the Jeep brand, the Wrangler. It will get some updates for 2010 and will get more for 2011, when Jeep celebrates its 70th anniversary, but it will otherwise be left alone.

Commander: On the chart Chrysler/Fiat gave us, the timeline for the big-'n'-boxy Commander goes all dotted-line after 2010. Above the broken line is written "International Reallocation" whatever that means exactly.

Grand Cherokee: With the new model coming out around the middle of 2010, there's not much to change, nor much reason to apparently. Even the lux Grand Cherokee will get a Rubicon Trail-capable "Trail Rated" version.
 

Categories: Chrysler,Fiat,Jeep,SUVs

Chrysler's new Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 will debut in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which hits dealerships in the second quarter of 2010. In the Grand Cherokee, this engine will be rated at 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

Single- and twin-turbocharged versions of the Pentastar V6 are also in the works.

Reporting by Dan Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Fiat,Jeep,SUVs

Among the new diesels Chrysler-Fiat plans to sell will be a diesel Jeep Wrangler scheduled for introduction in the fourth quarter of 2010. A start-stop feature will increase what should already be very good fuel economy and shave 5 percent off its annual CO2 contribution.

-- Dan Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit

Categories: Chrysler,Diesels,Fiat,Jeep,SUVs

And by that, Jeep means 40-inch tires. Those are some serious meats, especially when you consider that Jeep didn't use any of kind of suspension lift to make room for them.

Instead, them Jeep boys decided they wanted to keep the stock ride height and just trim the body instead. The custom fender flares sit four-inches higher than stock and are one-inch wider. The Lower Forty also features a carbon fiber "power dome" hood and a special drop-down tailgate.,

To get all the rubber moving, there's a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 hooked to a six-speed manual transmission. The Dana axles have 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers.

Interior upgrades include a custom roll cage, leather seats, color matched dash and bedliner material in place of carpet. It's all going to get dirty anyway right?

2009 SEMA Show

Categories: Jeep,SEMA Show,SUVs,Tuners and Modifications

According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, Chrysler's new product plan calls for partial redesigns of seven different models in the next 18 months. To accomplish the quick turn around, the company plans to hire additional engineers, designers and purchasing agents.

It's a far cry from earlier this year when Chrysler slashed it white collar workforce to maintain its cash reserves. Now it's finding itself in need of those same people to help push through product programs in half the time it did before.

Whether any of this helps is up for debate. A partial redesign of the Sebring pictured above isn't going to cut it. Chrysler needs seriously upgraded product to compete and 18 months is a long time to wait for a bunch of refreshes.

Detroit Free Press: Chrysler Aims to speed up its next redesigns
 

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Dodge,Jeep

Chrysler has formally announced what has been rumored for weeks. The Dodge brand has been split into two. It will now consist of the Dodge Ram truck brand and the Dodge car brand each with its own CEO. Well known designer Ralph Gilles takes over as the head of the Dodge car brand while Chrysler marketing executive Fred Diaz Jr. will head up the Dodge truck brand. The former head of Dodge Mike Accavitti resigned. 

There were also a few other executive changes announced today. Oliver Francois is the new CEO of the Chrysler brand replacing Peter Fong. Francois currently heads up Fiat's Lancia brand in Europe and will retain that position along with worldwide responsibility for Dodge and Chrysler marketing. And finally, Joeseph Veltri, a long-time marketing executive has been named head of product planning.

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Dodge,Jeep

Chrysler Group Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is expected to lay out a formal, 5-year product plan for Chrysler today. Expected on it are 2010 launches of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (though Jim Press, above, won't be around for that) shown at this year's New York Auto Show, and the Chrysler 300, which will spawn Dodge and Alfa variants.

Marchionne is also likely to order makeovers for the Chrysler minivans, Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass/Patriot and, somewhat surprisingly, the PT Cruiser. Marchionne wants these updated products on the market by mid-2011, the Detroit Free Press reports, and will rehire an unspecified number of employees to get this done. The word around Detroit, says Auto Observer, is that Chrysler has been so throughly gutted of talent and manpower, it currently doesn't have enough of a workforce to take on such projects.

The Fiat 500 is also expected to get a U.S. introduction by mid-2011, and it will be built at Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico, plant. All of this, of course, has to be greenlighted by the President's automotive taskforce.

Auto Observer

Detroit Free Press

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Dodge,Fiat,Jeep