Report: Jeep to Drop V8 For Electrification in the Grand Cherokee
It looks like the time of V8 Jeep Grand Cherokees will soon be over. This may be because the 4xe plug-in hybrid is 0.9 seconds quicker to 60 mph than the 5.7-liter Hemi V8.
Jeep is moving in the direction of hybrids over V8s for its flagship namesake, the Grand Cherokee, according to Motor Authority, who spoke with Jeep’s boss, Jim Morrison. Jeep will continue to produce performance variants of the WL-generation Grand Cherokee, but they won’t be powered by V8s moving forward.
According to Motor Authority, the V8 is not coming back to the Grand Cherokee model line. The Trackhawk designation may also be replaced with another nameplate moving forward.
The executive quoted confirmed that the larger Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be electrified by 2025, but he wouldn’t confirm that they’ll use an electrified powertrain based on the new turbocharged inline-6 that in standard form will produce 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, with a high-output version rated at 510 hp and 500 lb-ft. These numbers are before the addition of an electric motor which could boost output to more than 700 hp.
Towing capacity currently sits at 7,200 lb. with the 392 Hemi, one of the highest ratings in its class. The V6 is rated at 6,200 lb. and the 4xe PHEV is rated at 6,000 lb. When asked about raising the towing limit to V8 levels, Morrison smirked when the interviewer hinted at the possibility of a plug-in hybrid turbo-six.
The old-school Hemi V8s of yesterday may have their days numbered. Other news nuggets mined by MA include Morrison suggesting there won’t ever be a production V8 Gladiator, but a 4xe version seems imminent. So, too, does a 4xe version of the Grand Cherokee L.
Pour one out for the Hemi.
[Image: Jeep]
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Jeep’s boss, Jim Morrison. Break on through.. The folks at Buick/Opel wanted to use Light my fire for a Kadett ad but the band refused since they didn’t want their art affixed to a commercial.
"...flagship namesake, the Grand Cherokee..." The Grand Cherokee is not the namesake of Jeep. Demonstrated by the fact that the names are entirely different. And even if they were the same, Jeep was called Jeep before the Grand Cherokee was called the Grand Cherokee ... so the "saking" should really be going the other way. I know that people use "namesake" in both directions, such as grandfather John and grandson Johnny. But I think the closest equivalent term to "sake" is "cause". "Do it for the sake of the children" could be stated as "Do it for the cause of the children" or "Do it because of the children." The grandfather is the cause of the grandson being named John, and not the other way around. (That would introduce a time paradox.) As for the actual vehicle, well ... I think they made it large enough that giving it an adequately powerful V8 engine would require turbochargers or excessive displacement, and impact fuel economy in a way that Jeep just isn't ready to deal with. I don't think a performance JGC makes that much sense anymore, as it is kind of huge now. So, I guess the V8 won't be too much missed in this vehicle.
Don't fret. You can still dump gasoline in your wells.
Considering the original Grand Cherokee was a straight-6 - and the later V8 was overkill - nothing of value has been lost.