Larry Vellequette of Automotive News wrote that there would be a Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel option in North America for 2013. The option has been absent since 2008.
U.S. Grand Cherokee sales rose 51% in 2011, hitting 127,744, and over 50,000 of the similar Dodge Durangos were sold in the same year. Demand for the Grand Cherokee and Durango has remained strong, and the Grand Cherokee SRT8, though condemned by some enthusiasts for its price, appears to be selling briskly at many dealerships.
Jeep fans have been requesting diesel-powered vehicles for many years, because their torque at low engine speeds is ideally suited both to heavy vehicles and to off-road use. Diesels also tend to get far better gas mileage than similar gasoline engines, especially in highway use. They tend to produce relatively high torque and low horsepower, and usually have a much lower operating range than gasoline engines; it is possible Jeep was waiting for wider availability of the new ZF 8-speed automatic before using a diesel.
While no official word has been released, many expect the Grand Cherokee to use the same VM Motori diesel as in Europe, coupled to the eight speed automatic.
From Allpar
U.S. Grand Cherokee sales rose 51% in 2011, hitting 127,744, and over 50,000 of the similar Dodge Durangos were sold in the same year. Demand for the Grand Cherokee and Durango has remained strong, and the Grand Cherokee SRT8, though condemned by some enthusiasts for its price, appears to be selling briskly at many dealerships.
Jeep fans have been requesting diesel-powered vehicles for many years, because their torque at low engine speeds is ideally suited both to heavy vehicles and to off-road use. Diesels also tend to get far better gas mileage than similar gasoline engines, especially in highway use. They tend to produce relatively high torque and low horsepower, and usually have a much lower operating range than gasoline engines; it is possible Jeep was waiting for wider availability of the new ZF 8-speed automatic before using a diesel.
While no official word has been released, many expect the Grand Cherokee to use the same VM Motori diesel as in Europe, coupled to the eight speed automatic.
From Allpar
