New Jeep Grand Cherokee Lands in the UK

Jeep claims that it has created the premium SUV market almost 20 years ago with the first generation of the Grand Cherokee (though Mercedes’ M-Class may actually have a better claim on the word “premium”, but whatever…). We’ve already seen the latest iteration of Jeep’s iconic 4x4, and we must admit that, on paper at least, it looks like a significant leap forward from its predecessors.

This is accomplished by being based on a new (Mercedes M-Class derived) platform which aims for much improved driving characteristics and cabin quality, while retaining the off-road capabilities that it has became famous for.

Now the Grand Cherokee is available in right-hand drive in the UK in two versions, Limited and Overland. Both are powered by a 237-bhp 3.0-litre CRD common-rail turbo diesel which offers improved fuel economy (Jeep claims up to 39/34 mpg (UK/US respectively), or 6,0 liters/100 km and a maximum range of 700 miles (1,125 km) – a sound choice given the oil prices in Europe and its buyers' dislike of fuel-guzzling SUVs.

Pricing for the new Grand Cherokee starts at £36,795 for the Limited edition, while the top-of-the-line Overland starts from £43,995. And then there’s, of course, the options list…

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD Equipment and pricing:

Limited (from £36,795)
Quadra-Trac II® 4WD system
3.0 CRD V6 237bhp
Thatcham Category 1 Alarm and Immobiliser
Selec-Terrain™ system
Bi-Xenon HID headlamps with headlamp washers and auto-levelling
Rain sensitive windscreen wipers
Air-conditioning with dual zone Automatic Temperature Control (ATC)
Media Centre with 6.5'' touch screen display and 30GB hard drive with 6700 song capacity
Keyless Enter-N-Go™
18” Alloy wheels
Fog lamps
Illuminated entry
Hill Descent Control
Hill Start Assist
Bright exhaust tailpipes
Uconnect Bluetooth with voice command
iPod® connector with remote USB port
ParkSense® front and rear park assist system
ParkView® rear back-up camera
Leather trimmed seats
Heated front and rear seats
Power 8-way driver and passenger seat memory
Power tilt / telescopic steering column
Alpine surround sound system (9 speakers and subwoofer)
Tyre pressure monitoring display
Power folding multi-function door mirrors

Limited - Options
Rear DVD with single sunroof
CommandView panoramic sunroof
Performance pack (20" wheels with 265/60 R20 performance tyres, performance brakes and sports suspension)
Navigation & Luxury pack (Uconnect navigation system, heated steering wheel and power liftgate)
Deep-tint sunscreen glass
Overland (from £43,995)
Compared to the Limited, the Overland version adds the following:
20” alloy wheels
Performance brakes with sports suspension
Cargo net
Door courtesy lamps
Premium Nappa leather trimmed seats with contrast stitching
Ventilated front seats
Leather covered dashboard
Dark wood interior trim inserts
Deep-tint sunscreen glass
Power liftgate
Heated steering wheel
Quadra-Lift™ air suspension
CommandView panoramic sunroof
Overland interior detailing
Uconnect navigation system
Blind-spot and rear cross path detection
Adaptive cruise control
Forward collision warning

Optional equipment pricing:
Rear DVD with single sunroof (Limited) £1,700 RRP
Rear DVD with single sunroof retrofit (Overland) £700 RRP
CommandView panoramic sunroof (Limited)£1,200 RRP
Performance pack (Limited) £2,000 RRP
Navigation & Luxury pack (Limited) £1,500 RRP
Deep-tint sunscreen glass (Limited) £350 RRP

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Chrysler Seeks Fiat Synergies to Start Cars Production In China

China is the world’s largest car market: last year alone, more than 18 million vehicles were sold there, of which 13.76 million were passenger cars. Furthermore, analysts McKinsey & Company predict that it will grow tenfold between 2005 and 2030.

Do you want to know Chrysler’s share in this massive car market? A measly 31,000 in 2010 and a projection for just 40,000 in 2011. Therefore, it is only natural that the American carmaker is looking for ways to increase its share in this rapidly expanding market.

Problem is, you just don’t walk into China and start building cars: “To find a partner, negotiate, get government approval, build a plant – that’s a long time” Mike Manley, head of Chrysler’s international operations told Reuters news.

But, according to Manley, Chrysler already has a way to get rid of all that fuss and make things happen quickly: “Fiat are already through that”.

Fiat Spa, who manages Chrysler and is sharing technologies and models, has since 2009 established a joint venture with GAC, the country’s sixth biggest carmaker, to build cars in China.

"If there's an opportunity for us in the same way as we've done with Fiat in terms of technology or using their distribution, our speed to market is going to be so much quicker," Manley said, adding that if Chrysler, or rather Jeep, wants to succeed in the competitive small SUV market, it would have to build them in China.

Jeep is already planning to launch the Compass and Grand Cherokee models in China, while Chrysler is examining the possibility of importing the 200 and 300 sedans from the United States.

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Jeep Survivor Concept Study

A cross between the Warthog from Halo and the pseudo-militaristic Mercedes-Benz M-Classes from The Lost World: Jurassic Park, is the best description I can come up with for Max Ostap's Jeep:Survivor [sic] concept study for the Art Center College of Design.
An off-road vehicle for the man who considers nature an enemy to be vanquished more than anything else, the Survivor draws its inspiration from the Jeep Bantam of WWII.
It’s difficult to deride this aggressive yet strangely attractive concept. It has a purposeful, muscular stance and its integrated front bull bar, roof mounted spare, factory fitted spotlights and a pickup-like rear tray (for your animals carcasses, presumably) are all clever touches.
It reminds me most of the Jeep Renegade Concept of 2008; a personal favourite of mine.
Check out our gallery and leave your thoughts below.

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2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8

Jeep has given the SRT treatment to its flagshipGrand Cherokee and the result is the creation of the firm’s fastest and most potent production model ever. How does a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration of 4.8 seconds or a quarter mile time in the mid-13 second range sound? This is what the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is capable of, and the reason for these figures lies under the SUV's bonnet.

The Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology division (SRT for short) equipped the performance SUV with an all-new 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine that delivers 465 horsepower and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm) of torque.

Compared to the outgoing model powered by the 6.1-liter HEMI V8 unit, the new Grand Cherokee SRT8 has an extra 45HP and 45 lb-ft (61 Nm) of torque. About 90 percent of peak torque is available between 2,800 and 6,000 rpm. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 can do 0-100-0 mph in the mid-16 second range and has a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).

Standard Fuel Saver Technology and a new active valve exhaust system mean the engine can run on 4 cylinders alone on a wider rpm range, delivering better mileage (up to 13 percent better on the highway) and an extended range of around 450 miles (724 km) on one tank of gas.

The engine is linked to an automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. The Quadra-Trac AWD system can transfer up to 100 percent of available torque to one rear wheel in slippery conditions. Add to that the adaptive damping suspension and the five-mode Selec-Track system that tunes the dynamics of the car and you have a complete picture of the SRT8's on and off-road capabilities. Jeep says the SUV is capable of 0.90 g on the skid pad and that it can brake from 60 mph in 116 feet (35.3 meters).

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 has the looks to match its performance, thanks to its lowered body (by 1 inch/2.5 cm) and the SRT body kit comprising of wheel arches and side sills painted in the car's color, plus a racing-style front bumper that sports LED daytime running lights and a large air intake in the lower part.

Other modifications include the body-colored grille with a black background and chrome inserts and the sculpted hood fitted with dual black heat extractors for added engine cooling. At the rear, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 features a new spoiler, a new bumper with integrated air diffuser and dual exhaust system.

The interior features a dedicated heated steering wheel, special SRT instrument panel, Nappa leather and suede upholstery and carbon trim, among others. The car debuted today at the New York Auto Show and will reach U.S. showrooms in third quarter of the year.

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Jeep Adds New 3.0-liter V6 Turbo Diesel to Grand Cherokee

Given that over forty per cent of all cars sold in Europe are diesel-powered, any brand that wants to be successful in the market must have diesel options in its range. Following the presentation of its new 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel on the Chrysler 300's European clone, the Lancia Thema, the Fiat Group is now introducing the oil-burner to the Jeep Grand Cherokee range for Europe and other diesel markets around the world.
The new V6 diesel engine is built by VM Motori and has been developed together with Fiat Powertrain, which is a subsidiary of the Fiat Group. The 3.0-liter unit features Fiat's MultiJet II system which enables up to eight injections per cycle, with the possibility of managing the two main injections in a single modular profile (IRS – Injection Rate Shaping). It is also fitted with a single Garrett VGT 2056 turbocharger with variable turbine geometry.
In the Grand Cherokee, the 3.0-liter V6 diesel is offered in two guises, the most powerful of which produces 241HP at 4,000 rpm and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of peak torque at 1,800-2,800 rpm, with the company claiming a 10 percent gain in power and eight percent more torque than the engine it replaces.
Despite the improved performance, Jeep said fuel economy for the 241HP version returns 8.3 lt/100km (equal to 28.4 mpg US) on the combined European cycle, an improvement of 17 percent over the prior diesel engine. CO2 emissions (are also reduced by 17 percent, now at 218 g/km.
Jeep will also offer a lower-output version of the 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel rated at 190HP at 4,000 rpm and 440 Nm (324 lb-ft) of peak torque available from 1,600 to 2,800 rpm. The low-output version of the turbo diesel engine will be standard on Laredo models and optional on the Limited
The new 3.0-liter turbo diesel variants of the Grand Cherokee will receive their world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next week and be available in Europe by the end of the first half of 2011.

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