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Next Jeep Liberty to get shrunken Pentastar V6

By Steven J. Ewing RSS feed

Posted Mar 15th 2012 2:16PM

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2012 Jeep Liberty Arctic Edition - front three-quarter view

The replacement for the aging Jeep Liberty is expected to debut at next January's Detroit Auto Show, and when it does, a brand-new Pentastar powertrain will reportedly be spinning underhood. According to Automotive News, Chrysler will offer a downsized 3.2-litre V6 in the Liberty mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF. The current Pentastar V6 displaces 3.6 litres and has been well-received by both critics and buyers in everything from the refreshed Dodge Journey to new Chrysler 300.

Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne reiterated to AN that efficient transmissions play a huge role in the development of engines. "If we had known the eight-speed was coming, we could have made the [3.6-litre] Pentastar a 3.2-litre," he said.

Currently, the Liberty is available with a 3.7-litre SOHC V6 that produces 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque backed by a four-speed automatic transmission. This new 3.2-litre/nine-speed combo will surely improve performance, not to mention overall efficiency, though specific power and fuel economy details are still up in the air at this time.

News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.

Image Credit: Jeep

Category: Military, Car Buying, Jeep

Tags: 2013 jeep liberty, chrysler, detroit, detroit 2013, detroit auto show, jeep, liberty, naias, pentastar

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Hoop75

Oh no! The 9 speed automatic means the Liberty is going transverse engine/FWD based. I hoped that was rumour.The Panda platform I presume? The current Liberty was plagued with an uninspiring and inefficient engine/transmission combo with a Rubbermaid interior (My apologies to Rubbermaid!), the last vestiges of the old Chrysler, but it was a real compact truck. I would have loved to see it with a 3.2L or 3.6L, an 8 speed auto and the upgraded interiors like the other cars and let it continue on a few more years.

So this will slot into the narrowest of market segments between the terrible Patriot/Compass and the improved, but still a short wheelbase minivan Dodge Journey.

I was really hoping for an affordable, efficient compact SUV that actually performed like a truck. One that can carry a payload and tow upwards of 5000 pounds up a slippery boat ramp in November. Instead we get a raised car, a slip and grip AWD system that is unable to transfer any amount of meaningful torque to the rear wheels just like the multitude of other pseudo-suvs like Sorento, RAV4, Pilot, Murano, the new Pathfinder :(, Equinox, Traverse, assortment of nearly all Fords, and the list goes on and on (and on and on and on...). I have no problem with unibody, in fact I quite love the Grand Cherokee, MB GLK, ML and GL series, BMW X1,3 and 5, the VW, Audi, Porsche triplets, all are prime examples of it done right. Just a little to rich for the working class trying to pay a mortgage in Toronto. But there is not enough of a weight savings to justify putting in these FWD drive trains into what is suppose to be a truck. What is wrong with RWD and a proper transfer case with low range? So much for the last affordable real SUV on the market.

I've been a big fan of what Chrysler/Fiat has accomplished in such a short time, amazed even. But dear lord, not another cookie cutter CUV... Replace the Caliber based Patriot and Compass with this new Fiat Panda, give the Liberty a nip/tuck and keep it an actual Jeep... PLEASE!

March 16 2012 at 12:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Hoop75

Oh no! The 9 speed automatic means the Liberty is going transverse engine/FWD based. I hoped that was rumour.The Panda platform I presume? The current Liberty was plagued with an uninspiring and inefficient engine/transmission combo with a Rubbermaid interior (My apologies to Rubbermaid!), the last vestiges of the old Chrysler, but it was a real compact truck. I would have loved to see it with a 3.2L or 3.6L, an 8 speed auto and the upgraded interiors like the other cars and let it continue on a few more years.

So this will slot into the narrowest of market segments between the terrible Patriot/Compass and the improved, but still a short wheelbase minivan Dodge Journey.

I was really hoping for an affordable, efficient compact SUV that actually performed like a truck. One that can carry a payload and tow upwards of 5000 pounds up a slippery boat ramp in November. Instead we get a raised car, a slip and grip AWD system that is unable to transfer any amount of meaningful torque to the rear wheels just like the multitude of other pseudo-suvs like Sorento, RAV4, Pilot, Murano, the new Pathfinder :(, Equinox, Traverse, assortment of nearly all Fords, and the list goes on and on (and on and on and on...). I have no problem with unibody, in fact I quite love the Grand Cherokee, MB GLK, ML and GL series, BMW X1,3 and 5, the VW, Audi, Porsche triplets, all are prime examples of it done right. Just a little to rich for the working class trying to pay a mortgage in Toronto. But there is not enough of a weight savings to justify putting in these FWD drive trains into what is suppose to be a truck. What is wrong with RWD and a proper transfer case with low range? So much for the last affordable real SUV on the market.

I've been a big fan of what Chrysler/Fiat has accomplished in such a short time, amazed even. But dear lord, not another cookie cutter CUV... Replace the Caliber based Patriot and Compass with this new Fiat Panda, give the Liberty a nip/tuck and keep it an actual Jeep... PLEASE!

March 16 2012 at 12:58 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply