Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

More Jeep Wrangler Pentastar rumors, five-speed auto promised

According to The Toledo Blade, citing ordering guides sourced from Chrysler dealerships, the Jeep Wrangler will finally get the automaker's 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 for the 2012 model year. Since 2007, the Wrangler has been fitted with a 3.8-liter V6 engine (which replaced the venerable 4.0-liter inline six) that has met with less than stellar reviews. The new engine may have been a foregone conclusion, but it's a welcome one nonetheless.

Equally as important is news that the Jurassic-age four-speed automatic will be replaced with a five-speed unit. That's nice and all... but why go with a five-speeder when six (or more) is the current standard?

In any case, the report claims that the 2012 Wrangler's powertrain will be identical to the units in the 2011 Grand Cherokee. That means we should expect 290 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Those are much-needed improvements of the old 3.8, which offered up 202 horses and 237 lb-ft. Fuel mileage will reportedly improve to 16 city, 23 highway from 15/19.

In other Jeep news, Allpar.com reports that the 2012 Grand Cherokee will get a six-speed automatic to replace the five-speed unit in the 2011 model. (Guess we know where those older gearboxes are headed, eh?) In a further bid to improve fuel economy, the Pentastar-equipped Grand Cherokee will also be getting electrically driven power steering in place of the current hydraulic unit.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/m...auto-promised/

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Chrysler replaces Dodge Charger police car after 'suspicious' fire

Chrysler has agreed to replace a Dodge Charger Pursuit and all of the police gear inside for free after the vehicle mysteriously burnt to the ground. As you may recall, a Curry County, Oregon sheriff's deputy saw his new cruiser (which had 6,000 miles on it) go crispy after stopping to assist in a search and rescue operation.

Patrick Combs, the rescuee, was found and taken to a local hospital by ambulance, but deputy Jared Gray's new Charger Patrol didn't survive the scene. The fire seemed to take hold in the passenger-side front wheel well and continued to reignite after fire crews extinguished the blaze.

There was one small caveat to the vehicle's generous replacement, however. In exchange for the new set of wheels, the sheriff's department had to agree to sign a non-disclosure, which means we may never know exactly what set the car ablaze.

As our friends at The J point out, no reports of toasty civilian Chargers have been made to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/c...suspicious-fi/

IS-SV

This CHP Charger used during Tour of California bike race in May managed to stay free of flames.

SLegacy99

Interesting that Chrysler has the new Pentastar out, yet then they say it will have direct injection, 6 speed autos, 8 speed autos....someday.

IS-SV

Yes, ^ sounds a bit like Acura with excuses rather than premium engine/tranny technology (resulting in performance and MPG below that of industry leaders).