Jeep Grand Cherokee Lobs Down Under

By Motoring Channel Staff - 5/7/2005

The new third generation Jeep Grand Cherokee has arrived in Australia, offering a sportier appearance, improved on-road ride and handling and superior off-road capability courtesy of new four-wheel-drive systems.

"The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee is designed, engineered and built to master every imaginable day-to-day driving condition, whether on-road or offroad, in all kinds of weather,” said Gerry Jenkins, the managing director of Chrysler Jeep Australia.

"The result is a Jeep that is all-new from the ground up and all Jeep from the inside out.

"The new Grand Cherokee sets the benchmark with its on-road refinement, offroad mastery and class-leading performance in three key areas of customer satisfaction: engine torque, offroad traction and towing capabilities," said Jenkins.

Chrysler says that two petrol engines will initially be offered in the new Grand Cherokee. For the first time, the new 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine is available on a Jeep, in addition to the popular 4.7-litre V8, while an all-new state-of-the-art 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel (CRD) engine will complete the range, expected to arrive in Australia in August.

Another new facet to Jeep's third generation Grand Cherokee is an all-new independent front suspension setup that provides for a greater sense of precision and control and more precise steering.

Front suspension wheel travel is increased by more than 10 per cent over the previous generation vehicle and a tight turning diameter of 11.2 metres provides for more nimble handling. The new five-link rear suspension geometry, including a track bar, also improves lateral stiffness to match that of the front suspension for optimum handling.

Jeep Grand Cherokee is the first four-wheel-drive to offer the Multi-Displacement System (MDS). On the 5.7-litre HEMI engine (also coming with the Chrysler 300C), MDS deactivates half the cylinders during cruising and light acceleration to increase fuel economy by up to 20 per cent, depending on driving conditions.

Ninety per cent of the 5.7-litre V8's peak torque is available from 2400 to 5100rpm for excellent performance while trailer towing or travelling offroad, as well as regular city and highway driving.

A sophisticated Electronic Throttle Control system tailors throttle response to pedal movement based on operating conditions and when cruise control is activated, maintains a more consistent vehicle speed on rolling grades than was possible with the previous mechanical throttle.

This control does not come at the expense of performance. Chrysler asserts that the 5.7-litre Hemi engine provides class-leading power and torque, at 240kW and 500Nm respectively, and it also stands among the best in class for acceleration - 0-100km/h in just over 7.0 seconds.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers class-leading towing capacity of 3500kg as well. Combined with the 1908 litres of rear cargo volume, this allows customers greater flexibility in usage for both business and pleasure.

The all-new 3.0-litre CRD engine is a “next-generation” power unit from DaimlerChrysler producing class-leading levels of torque and towing, with efficient fuel economy. With Bosch high-pressure fuel injection (1600+ bar), a variable geometry turbocharger and 4-valves per cylinder, the new engine meets Euro 4 emissions standards.

Maximum power is 160kW @ 4000rpm and peak torque is 510Nm from just 1600rpm, which makes it one of the most powerful 3.0-litre turbo diesel powerplants on the market.

An all-new 5-speed W5A580 automatic transmission offers smooth shifts and optimum fuel economy with the 3.0-litre CRD. The 5-45RFE 5-speed automatic transmission used with the 5.7-litre HEMI and 4.7-litre V8 has been refined for higher-quality shifts while increasing the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s maximum towing capacity.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s new design provides a contemporary return of an athletic appearance. Up front, the signature seven-slot grille, flanked by the functional round appearance, high-performance halogen headlamps, boldly dominates the design statement. These round headlamps unify the unmistakable front-end appearance of the entire Jeep line-up.

A proportionally longer bonnet and greater distance from the centre of the front axle to the base of the windshield visually communicate a more powerful image. Helping to achieve a more athletic appearance is a flatter windshield and sleeker A-pillar design.

The new model is 139mm longer, 12mm wider and rides on a 90mm longer wheelbase. Although body width is only slightly increased, the track is up by 64mm for a wider stance and improved handling.

The overall design of the body shell, which is 60 per cent stiffer in torsion compared to the previous model, delivers improved vehicle aerodynamics (Cd is 0.41) and enhanced vehicle fuel economy according to Chrysler.

The body is “shrink-wrapped” to the package, enabling designers to emphasise the powerful wheel arch flares. Larger taillamps feature red and clear lenses for an upscale appearance. Overall, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee preserves the right-size package that is critical for offroad use and provides nimble on-road handling.

Complementing these features is a quieter interior, thanks to driveline NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) improvements, wind noise reductions and the use of innovative noise dampening materials within the body structure and engine compartment.

Also standard for the first time on the Jeep Grand Cherokee is an Electronic Stability Program, which aids the driver in maintaining vehicle directional stability in severe driving manoeuvres on any type of surface. Jeep Grand Cherokee also features a new electronic rollover mitigation system that anticipates critical situations for the vehicle that may lead to a rollover condition.

Two new full-time four-wheel-drive systems are available on Jeep Grand Cherokee. Quadra-Trac II incorporates the new NV245 transfer case that provides full-time active four-wheel drive, which anticipates and prevents wheel slip for optimum traction during a wide range of conditions. The NV245 also includes electronic shift with a true low-range gear.

Even more sophisticated, Quadra-Drive II takes unparalleled Jeep capability to an even higher level using Electronic Limited Slip Differentials (ELSD) — front, centre and rear — offering customers the ultimate in offroad capability. ELSD replaces the Vari-Lok progressive axles used in previous generation Jeep vehicles for even quicker response to changing conditions and greater torque capacity.

With Quadra-Drive II, Jeep Grand Cherokee offers an electronic engagement of torque biasing for the front axle, as well as the rear. Therefore, the torque transfer is faster and almost 100 per cent of the torque can be distributed to any of the four wheels.

To meet the anticipated demand for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, two world-class facilities are employed to build the vehicle. The Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, Michigan (USA), began production of the new model in the third quarter of 2004. Assembly of vehicles for European and right-hand-drive markets, including Australia, takes place at the Magna Steyr manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria.

Prices start from $56,490 for the Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.7-litre V8 in Australia, $59,090 for the 3.0-litre CRD V6 and $71,990 for the range topping 5.7-litre HEMI V8. The new Grand Cherokee will start to reach dealer showrooms across Australia from July for petrol models and from August for diesel models.

Pricing:

Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.7-litre V8 $56,490
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 3.0-litre CRD V6 $59,090
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4.7-litre V8 $66,490
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 3.0-litre CRD V6 $69,090
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 5.7-litre HEMI V8 $71,990