Demand For Jeep Liberty Diesel Overwhelms Supply

[Perian]

Link: http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=13030



By Greg Bowens / Automotive News / August 05, 2005


TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The Chrysler group has built more than 8,300 Jeep Liberty SUVs with diesel engines and expects production to hit 10,000 units this calendar year – double the amount it originally predicted. More than 60,000 consumers have expressed interest in the vehicle.

That success is helping Chrysler be bullish on diesel-powered vehicles in the American market, said Frank Klegon, vice president of product development process and components, at the Management Briefing Seminars on Friday.

The limit on building more diesel Liberty SUVs is constraints on engine production at supplier VM Motori in Cento, Italy. That factory supplies the 2.8-liter diesel used in the Liberty and diesel engines used in Chrysler group vehicles sold in Europe.

Chrysler is considering using diesels in other North American products. Jeep Grand Cherokees and Chrysler 300 sedans sold in Europe are fitted with diesels. Klegon said all new Chrysler products that will be sold in Europe are being engineered to accept a diesel powertrain.

Article continues at link.

[Buick61]

I've driven it. It's definetly not as smooth as the Mercedes Diesels (but it's not that expensive. It's also a dog off the line, but it picks up in a HURRY.

But the price premium of just $1,600 over the gas powered makes a ton more sense than the $7,000 premium some hybrids command.

[MelvinJ]

I drove one the other day too. There is a bit of lag right off the line, but it only lasts a second, then it moves out pretty well. By the time you get to highway speeds, it's back to being so-so again, but it cruised at 80 effortlessly.

It is quite noisy on startup, but once underway I didn't find it objectionable at all. I could certainly live with it.

It's funny with all the talk about demand overwhelming supply - at my local dealer, 4 out of the 9 Liberties they had in stock were CRDs - no shortage there. But the CRD has been exempt from the employee discount program, even for employees, so that may part of the reason.

Consumer Reports really panned the CRD, saying it only got 18 mpg for them. That's really disappointing, although C&D got 20 with theirs, or 4 mpg higher than the V6. 25% is about what you can typically expect from a diesel over gas in most applications.

[drew770]

Will GM & Ford respond to the diesel demands with their own diesels? Is there enough demand for diesels to prompt GM & Ford to add it to maybe the Nox and Escape? I don't know but it's an interesting option to the hybrids.

[asim]

Originally Posted by drew770

Will GM & Ford respond to the diesel demands with their own diesels? Is there enough demand for diesels to prompt GM & Ford to add it to maybe the Nox and Escape? I don't know but it's an interesting option to the hybrids.

The nox and the escape can't really go offroad like the jeep, so thats probably their ressoning why they don't need a diesel in those vehicles.

[member12]

CR hates this car. I would buy one before any hybrid. I wish GM would come out with a diesel for their 1/2 ton trucks, and the GM 355/360 trucks and suvs.

CR hates anything that does not save the planet. It was only a matter of time before they tested diesels and moaned and groaned about it. They really don't know cars. Its becoming more and more obvious every year.

My cousin told me he gets mid to high twenties on the highway with his. Not bad fuel economy for something that can tow as much as that car.

[rueben44]

For a Diesel in a small vehicle that really is horrible gas mileage. I would expect something closer to the 30's if not in the 30's.

[AC60W]

Originally Posted by rueben44

For a Diesel in a small vehicle that really is horrible gas mileage. I would expect something closer to the 30's if not in the 30's.

I normally would have to agree with you, but the Liberty weights over 2 tons and is an brick aerodynamically.

[MelvinJ]

Originally Posted by AC60W

I normally would have to agree with you, but the Liberty weights over 2 tons and is an brick aerodynamically.

Right, that would be double what the gas engines get, and diesels can't work that much magic.

The article in C&D said that no one has a diesel that meets the new standards coming in 2007, so there may not be any light-duty diesels in the market in the US by then. People clamoring for GM and Ford to come out with light duty diesels need to understand that this isn't a trivial matter. Low-sulfur fuel will be mandated by then too, which will help emission systems, but will no doubt drive the price of diesel fuel even further from the price of gasoline. It's already 15 to 20 cents higher per gallon than gas in many places. So in 2007, you'll be paying an even bigger premium for the diesel engine itself (if there are any that get certified), then you'll be paying considerably more for the fuel than you do now, which is already higher than gasoline.

If gas goes way up in the meantime, then of course, diesels will look better and better. But for the next few years, barring some substantial increases in gasoline prices, the diesel's future looks bleak in the U.S.

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by MelvinJ

Consumer Reports really panned the CRD, saying it only got 18 mpg for them. That's really disappointing, although C&D got 20 with theirs, or 4 mpg higher than the V6. 25% is about what you can typically expect from a diesel over gas in most applications.

According to most of the folks I chat with over on some of the Jeep boards, the CRD requires nearly 10,000 (!) miles of break-in before you start to see the mileage go up. Mileage figures for them seem to range all over the place, but most eventually wind up in the mid-twenties.

This is good news for Jeep. Hopefully they'll offer a diesel in the next iteration of the Wrangler -- especially if it's true they plan to kill the 4.0 liter.

[ronus20]

What about the Aveo diesel? lol

[SSrevolution]

And Diesel for some reason costs more than regular gas. So much for alternative fuels.

Diesels are capable of getting better mileage than gas engines I believe. Heres an example... Jetta...

[Road Kill]

I've been saying N/Americans are ready for diesels for awhile now. GM has some good diesels in Europe they can bring over in smaller numbers to see how well they are accepted before they start producing them on a large scale over here!

[LibertyKJ]

Don't forget...diesels also have a life expectancy much longer then a typical gas engine as well. I'm sure we've all heard of the rigs that go well over a million miles without ever having been cracked into.

[MelvinJ]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

According to most of the folks I chat with over on some of the Jeep boards, the CRD requires nearly 10,000 (!) miles of break-in before you start to see the mileage go up. Mileage figures for them seem to range all over the place, but most eventually wind up in the mid-twenties.

This is good news for Jeep. Hopefully they'll offer a diesel in the next iteration of the Wrangler -- especially if it's true they plan to kill the 4.0 liter.

Mid-twenties would be great for a vehicle with that much towing capacity. It's a shame that CR can't do their test with more break in miles. I'm sure they didn't run up 10K before they did their mileage testing.