Chrysler Unveil Diesel Models

Anthony Fontanelle
November 13, 2007

Automakers are continually developing green engines. For Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda, hybrids are the greenest technology available today. But European automakers are focusing on the development of diesel engines. But American automaker Chrysler recently made its presence felt in the growing diesel vehicle market.

The automaker announced that they have expanded their diesel offerings. The Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel lineup will now include a 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine. The said powerplant will be available to the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo lineup. To make the offer more attractive to consumers, the automaker has reduced the price of the Limited and Overland variants of the Grand Cherokee by $1,000.

Pricing for the Laredo with the new 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine has been set by the automaker at $2,585 for the 4X2 model and $3,235 for the 4X4 variant. The relatively low price of the engines is part of the automaker's goal to educate the car buying public on the positives of buying diesels. New diesel engines are designed to offer better performance and more power than gasoline engines but with less emission through the use of emission filtration technologies.

Jon Plecha, the director of Jeep Brand's Marketing and Global Communications, has this to say about the new offering: "The 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel offers class-leading torque and driving range as well as outstanding towing capacity. By expanding engine availability and reducing existing prices we hope that more consumers will be encouraged to take advantage of this clean, renewable fuel. Chrysler believes that clean diesel technology can and should be a part of the national energy solution and we will continue to build upon our diesel leadership."

The new V6 engine is supplied by German automaker Mercedes-Benz which is a leader in the development of new diesel engines. It produces as much as 215 horsepower at 3,800 revs per minute and 376 lb-ft of torque. With that much torque, the vehicle equipped with the engine can tow up to 7,000 pounds. It also comes with engine parts as reliable as Subaru shocks.

With the new engine, fuel consumption is improved by as much as 30 percent. That reduction of greenhouse gases is the key to the aim of Chrysler to become one of the leaders when it comes to producing green vehicles. With Jim Press now at Chrysler, it is not surprising that the American automaker is now taking steps to make its offering more and more eco-friendly.

Source:  Amazines.com