.

.

One of the keys to restarting the American economy is staring us in the face. While our future hinges on the rapid adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles, our government stands in the way of a rapid free market solution.





35 MPG can be an immediate reality, with one domestic manufacturer, if the United States government would only allow it to happen. Our elected representatives need to be aware of the facts and make the appropriate decisions.

Chrysler is uniquely positioned among the Big Three US automakers. Unlike Ford and General Motors, Chrysler is already building a slew of high-MPG diesel-powered vehicles right here in the United States.

Amazing as it may seem in these difficult times, Chrysler is not allowed to sell those cars domestically, due to recently tightened emissions regulations. With the exception of the domestically-available Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, all of Chrysler’s North American manufactured high-MPG diesel-equipped vehicles are being shipped abroad.

Each and every one of Chrysler’s European models is available with a diesel engine, with the exception of the Dodge Viper. In fact, a diesel engine can be found under the hood of more than 50% of the vehicles that Chrysler sells in Europe.

All-in-all, a dozen Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep diesel-engined models are currently available outside of the United States, but are not sold domestically.

Here’s the eye-opener … half of those models currently achieve 35 miles per gallon combined.

That’s 35 MPG … right now.

And what’s even more crazy? All of these 35 MPG cars and SUVs are built in North American plants by North American workers … American citizens cannot buy and drive the fuel-efficient cars they build.

The thriftiest of the bunch delivers nearly 50 MPG on the highway … and it’s no dog off the line, turning in 0-62 mile per hour (MPH) times under nine seconds. The fastest in the pack delivers 7.6 second 0-62 times and 35.6 MPG on the highway.

Needless to say, these are wonderful world-class cars, a world apart from your Uncle’s noisy, slow, smelly 80’s-era diesel.

The Mercedes-Benz V6 diesel-equipped Jeep Grand Cherokee is the first US-built passenger vehicle to meet the tougher Federal emissions requirements. With the emissions work done on the Mercedes’ 3.0 liter engine, we expect the Chrysler 300 to be the next diesel-powered domestic, as it shares the same powerplant. (At present, diesel 300s are being built in Graz, Austria.)

Chrysler is using four different diesel engines, in all:

2.0 liter Volkswagen turbo-diesel inline four (Avenger, Caliber, Compass, Journey, Sebring, Patriot)

2.2 liter Mercedes-Benz inline four (PT Cruiser)

2.8 liter VM Motari inline four (Cherokee, Grand Voyager, Nitro, Wrangler)

3.0 liter Mercedes-Benz V6 (300, Commander, Grand Cherokee)

What if the federal government temporarily rolled back the emissions requirements for one or two years, to allow the sale of these fuel-sipping vehicles while Chrysler and its partners complete the engineering necessary to meet the current regulations?

Crazier schemes have been implemented to stimulate the economy, no doubt about that. But this one just might work … by spurring investment and putting people back to work.

As you ponder that thought, take a gander at a group of specifications that compare the European diesels with the most fuel-efficient engines in each of the US domestics …

Jeep Patriot Diesel

Plant: Belvedere, IL

Engine: Volkswagen 2.0 liter common rail turbo-diesel inline four cylinder engine, producing 138 HP and 229 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 11 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 2.4 liter I4/5-speed/2WD – more: Jeep Patriot Gas Mileage Ratings)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 42.8 28 City 26.7 23 Combined 35.1

Jeep Compass Diesel

Plant: Belvedere, IL

Engine: Volkswagen 2.0 liter common rail turbo-diesel inline four cylinder engine, producing 138 HP and 229 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 11 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 2.4 liter I4/5-speed/2WD – more: Jeep Compass Gas Mileage Ratings)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 43.5 28 City 28.3 23 Combined 36.2

Jeep Wrangler Diesel

Plant: Toledo, Ohio

Engine: VM Motori 2.8 liter common rail diesel four cylinder, producing 174 HP and 302 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 11.2 seconds (two door), 11.7 seconds (four door) when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 3.8 liter V6/6-speed/2WD)

Two-door US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 28.3 21 City 18.5 16 Combined 23.7

Jeep Cherokee (aka: Liberty) Diesel

Plant: Toledo, Ohio

Engine: VM Motori 2.8 liter common rail diesel four cylinder, producing 161 HP and 295 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 11.2 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 3.7 liter V6/6-speed/2WD)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 30.6 22 City 19.6 16 Combined 25.3

(The 2.8 liter diesel engine was available in the domestic Jeep Liberty in the 2005 and 2006 model years.)

Jeep Commander Diesel

Plant: Jefferson North, MI

Engine: Mercedes-Benz 3.0 liter common rail diesel, producing 215 HP and 376 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 9.0 seconds when equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission.

(Domestic: 3.7 liter/V6/5-speed Auto/2WD or 4.7 liter/V8/5-speed Auto/2WD)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 25.6 19 City 17.4 14 Combined 21.8

Chrysler 300 Diesel

Plant: Brampton, Ontario & Graz, Austria (diesels)

Engine: Mercedes-Benz 3.0 liter common rail diesel, producing 215 HP and 376 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 7.6 seconds – Sedan (Saloon), 8.6 seconds – Wagon (Touring), when equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission.

(Domestic: 2.7 liter V6/5-speed Auto)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 35.6 26 City 21.8 18 Combined 29

Chrysler Grand Voyager (aka: Town & Country) Diesel

Plant: St. Louis (diesels)

Engine: VM Motori 2.8 liter common rail diesel four cylinder, producing 174 161 HP and 339 265 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 12 seconds when equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission.

(Domestic: 3.3 liter V6/4-speed auto – more: Chrysler Town and Country Gas Mileage Ratings)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 35.1 24 City 20.5 17 Combined 27.6

Chrysler PT Cruiser Diesel

Plant: Toluca, Mexico

Engine: Mercedes-Benz 2.2 liter common rail diesel four cylinder, producing 148 HP and 221 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 10.8 second, when equipped with a five-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 2.4 liter I4/5-speed Manual – more: Chrysler PT Cruiser Gas Mileage Ratings)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 42 26 City 27.3 21 Combined 35.1

Chrysler Sebring Diesel

Plant: Sterling Heights, MI

Engine: Volkswagen 2.0 liter common rail turbo-diesel four cylinder, producing 138 HP and 229 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 12 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 2.4 liter I4/4-speed auto – more: Chrysler Sebring Gas Mileage Ratings)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 46.1 30 City 28.6 21 Combined 38

Dodge Avenger Diesel

Plant: Sterling Heights, MI

Engine: Volkswagen 2.0 liter common rail turbo-diesel four cylinder, producing 138 HP and 229 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 12 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 2.4 liter I4/4-speed auto – more: Dodge Avenger Gas Mileage Ratings)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 46.1 30 City 28.6 21 Combined 38

Dodge Caliber Diesel

Plant: Belvidere, IL

Engine: Volkswagen 2.0 liter common rail turbo-diesel, producing 138 HP and 229 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 8.8 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

(Domestic: 1.8 liter I4/5-speed manual)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 49 29 City 29.8 24 Combined 39.2

Dodge Nitro Diesel

Plant: Toledo, Ohio

Engine: VM Motori 2.8 liter common rail diesel four cylinder, producing 174 HP and 339 302 foot pounds of torque. 0-62 MPH in 10.5 second when equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission.

(Domestic: 3.7 liter V6/6-speed manual)

US MPG Euro Diesel Domestic US MPG Highway 30.1 22 City 19.3 16 Combined 25

Dodge Journey Diesel (Coming Soon)

Plant: Toluca, Mexico

Engine: Volkswagen 2.0 liter common rail turbo-diesel four cylinder, producing 140 HP and 229 foot pounds of torque. Equipped with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Mileage figures yet to be released.

Footnotes:

(1) MPG figures were converted from UK urban/extra-urban/combined mile per British gallon estimates for the purposes of this report, using publicly available data.

(2) Chrysler assembles, but does not manufacture, diesel-powered Dodge Sprinter Vans in Charleston, South Carolina. Mercedes-Benz ships the parts from Europe.

(3) Cummins diesel engines are a popular domestic option in heavy-duty models of the Dodge Ram pickup. Dodge is poised to extend diesel engines throughout the range.

– by Daniel Gray

Search MPGomatic

Custom Search

Similar Posts

.