Chrysler going with EcoDiesel brand name?

Chrysler appears to have chosen "EcoDiesel" as its branded name for a new line of diesel models set to arrive in North America. The artwork above was registered with the U.S. Patents and Trademark office just last month, with the "3.0L" nomenclature denoting the displacement of its first offering.

As we reported at the beginning of this year, Chrysler's first diesel engine will be a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6. The powerplant, jointly developed with Fiat, will reportedly make 241 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Currently mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox under the hood of the Jeep Grand Cherokee in other markets, the new oil-burner would deliver an fuel economy of about 10.2 L/100km (23 mpg) city and 7.1 L/100km (33 mpg) highway (the Cherokee's current gasoline-fed 3.6-litre V6, also mated to a five-speed, delivers 13.8 L/100km (17 mpg) city and 10.2 L/100km (23 mpg) highway).

While the bad news is that the automaker is likely going to delay the launch of its diesel models until the 2014 model year to finish development on a new ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic (a gearbox that promises to deliver improved acceleration and even better fuel economy), the good news is that the automaker will shorten the 2013 model year to allow the 2014 models to arrive as early as January of next year.

For more Jeep action hit the jump.

News Source: Motor Authority