How Jeep Ended Up With A GM Diesel

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

The new diesel engine that is expected to arrive in the Dodge Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee (which, we hear, has been pushed back a few times already) has had an interesting life. The 3.0L twin-turbo diesel engine never was intended for Chrysler or Fiat products, but rather, Cadillac.

As Automotive News tells it, the engine was born when GM bought 50 percent of Italian firm VM Motori in 2007. They quickly began work on a 2.9L diesel engine intended for the European market Cadillac CTS, with GM financing the venture. Cadillac’s struggling sales in Europe along with GM’s bankruptcy conspired to prevent the VM diesel from ever appearing in a GM product.

Where it did end up is with Fiat, after the firm bought 50 percent of VM Motori in 2011. The engine was reworked for use in Chrysler products, but VM is apparently free to sell it to other auto makers as well. All in all a shrewd move by Sergio Marchionne – a man who was once able to make GM pay $2 billion to Fiat for the privilege of not entering into an alliance.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

More by Derek Kreindler

Comments
Join the conversation
18 of 140 comments
  • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on Jul 19, 2013

    @Scoutdude We will have almost the same emission standards within 2 years. I do apologise, but I should have expressed myself better. Diesels don't need a throttle should and would have made a better statement. My ute has a throttle but not to regulate the fuel air mixture. I was on a different page. I was talking stoichiometrics of gas vs diesel. But I will always state that diesel uses less fuel at idle. The throttle in a diesel isn't used to maintain the 15:1 fuel : air mix. I can see we will have much fun debating each other, but don't knock these small diesels until you get them in your pickups, we have had them for years. I predicted the VM Ram. I will also state that a 3.2 F-150 is around the corner. The US will love these new small diesels. Even if the price of diesel fuel is more. Because if you guys were that worried about fuel prices then you wouldn't be driving V8s like HDC. Read up on the new Cummins ISF 2.8 diesel. SinoDiesel has some great information on them. The US will finally build competitive diesels against the Euro diesels. This has been a long time coming. You guys are where we were 25 years ago with diesels. Commercials first then more mainstream vehicles. Trust me.

    • See 1 previous
    • RobertRyan RobertRyan on Jul 19, 2013

      CJinSD Everywhere else including Australia , diesels are replacing gas engines. The US is the only place with the exception of Canada where it is going in the opposite direction.

  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Jul 19, 2013

    Here is a link to a study that has been bouncing around the net when ever diesel versus gas engine debates pop up. http://www.dieselforum.org/files/dmfile/20130311_CD_UMTRITCOFinalReport_dd2017.pdf This study indicates that across the board once all factors are considered, a diesel is cheaper to own. @Robert Ryan - there is a better take rate in Canada on Econobox cars and on small diesels. There was a story a while back about some diesels coming to Canada that will not be available in the USA. As luck will have it, I can't find the story. We must remember that from an emissions perspective diesels are where gassers were in the 70's. Actually, more like the 80's. The first emissions equipped gassers were gutless unreliable "pigs on gas". Look at diesel pickups. We went through the "pigs on gas" phase and luckily skipped the gutless part. Reliability was/is an issue. MPG figures are improving for diesels and they are regaining reliability. Again like gassers in the 70's and 80's. I'd say that it is unfair to even mention those Oldsmobile 350 based diesels that GMC built. They were a joke. I did not know a guy who had any luck with them. I also do not know of a truck or car still running a diesel. All have 350 gassers.

    • See 1 previous
    • RobertRyan RobertRyan on Jul 19, 2013

      @Lou BC, I knew your vehicle mix was very similar to what you have in the US, but there were some differences.Similar to what exists with Australia and New Zealand.

  • Lou_BC Lou_BC on Jul 19, 2013

    I should of added that we will see more diesel engines in an assortment of vehicles. They can meet mpg requirements easier than gassers. Technical barriers to trade (different emission and safety standards among jurisdictions)are the real hold up. I read that different standards between the EU and USA is equivalent to a 26% tariff. That hits as hard as the chicken tax. Universalization of standards would open up the USA/Canada market to many diesel engines and vehicles. I'd rather buy a small diesel powered vehicle than a hybrid. Unfortunately, special interest groups/companies would rather all of us buy from a very restrictive group of products. I've started referring to them as the "Big 4". That would be Ford, GMC, Chrysler, and the CAW/UAW.

    • See 9 previous
    • RobertRyan RobertRyan on Jul 20, 2013

      @Big Al from Oz, "But we are finding out it’s cheaper and easier to manage one set of standards, hence Australia’s inclusion into the UNECE." Standardization has made quite a few things simpler and cheaper. The same standards crossing the Tasman has made Trade with New Zealand a lot easier and cheaper for both parties.

  • BZ1GRN BZ1GRN on Jul 24, 2013

    The darn thing followed me from one job to another. Who knew?

Next