In other Jeep news, Chrysler Group Australia has increased its Grand Cherokee engine line-up by adding a 3.7-litre V6 petrol power plant to its range.

The new 3.7-litre V6 produces 148 kW of power and 315 Nm of torque.

The V6 petrol power unit is paired to a five-speed automatic transmission, which has auto variable line pressure adjustment to enhance fuel economy.

The engine becomes the new price leading model for the Grand Cherokee line-up, starting from $51,990 (Recommended Retail Price - RRP) for the Laredo version.

"The 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee is designed, engineered and built on the combination of heritage and capability that has made the Jeep brand an icon in four-wheel drive circles," said Gerry Jenkins, managing director for the Chrysler Group in Australia.

"Our new V6 petrol engine gives customers even more choice in selecting the model that best suits their needs."

"And by setting a new entry price of $51,990 (RRP), the V6 also makes the Grand Cheroke's on-road refinement and off-road mastery experience even more attainable," he said.

The addition of the new V6 engine completes the Grand Cherokee range, joining the fuel sipping 3.0-litre turbo diesel, the 4.7-litre V8, the powerful 5.7-litre V8 with its Multi-Displacement technology and the and the SRT 6.1-litre V8.

In 2006 Grand Cherokee registrations of 1,365 units represented a 1.4 percent increase over 2005 sales to buck the segment trend that declined during the same period.

With the arrival of the new Jeep Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited and Compass late March this year, the Jeep range will grow to six models joining the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and the Commander. A seventh model, the Jeep Patriot will be added later in the year.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is built in Graz, Austria

Jeep Grand Cherokee pricing

Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 3.7-litre V6
Standard features

• Short and long-arm independent front suspension
• Five-link rear suspension
• Rack-and-pinion steering
• Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS
• Traction Control System
• Electronic Stability Programme
• Electronic roll-over mitigation system
• 17-inch satin silver finish wheels and tyres
• Power eight-way driver seat and four-way front passenger seat with adjustable lumbar support
• 60/40 split-folding rear seat with folding outboard head restraints and retractable cup holders in seat cushions
• Electronic Vehicle Information Centre
• Dual-zone heating, ventilation and cooling system
• Tyre pressure monitoring system
• Sentry Key® engine immobiliser and remote keyless entry
• Advanced multi-stage driver and front passenger air bags
• 1,909 Litres of cargo volume (seats folded)
• Cargo storage with reversible load-floor and water-resistant storage compartment
• AM/FM stereo with CD
• Front and rear full-length side-curtain air bags

Optional features

• Skid plate package, including skid plates for the fuel tank, transfer case and front suspension
• Powered sun roof with express open/close
• Boston Acoustics six-speaker premium sound system with 260-watt digital amplifier and a six-stacker CD unit
• Deep tint sunscreen glass
• Fog lamps

Jeep Grand Cherokee Technical Specifications
The information shown is based on data available at the time of publication.

Body and Chassis
Five-seater, four-door sport-utility vehicle with all-steel unitised body/chassis unit. Choice of five (four petrol and one diesel) longitudinally mounted front engines driving all four wheels, via a five-speed automatic transmission through an electronically controlled transfer case and available electronically controlled limited slip differential front and rear axles.

Engines
3.7L V6

• Availability - Laredo
• Type - Petrol, six-cylinder, 90-degree V-type
• Capacity - 3.7 L (3,701 cc)
• Maximum power - 148 kW @ 5,100 rpm
• Maximum torque - 315 Nm @ 3,900 rpm
• Compression ratio - 9.1:1
• Bore and stroke - 93.0 x 90.8 mm
• Camshaft - Chain-driven SOHC
• Valve system - 12 valves, one intake and one exhaust per cylinder with roller followers and hydraulic lash adjusters
• Fuel system - Sequential, multi-port electronic injection with returnless fuel rail
• Construction - Cast-iron block with twin aluminium cylinder heads
• Maximum engine speed - 6,300 rpm
• Fuel recommendation - 91 RON unleaded petrol
• Emission controls - catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, on-board vapour recovery system
• Emission class - Euro 4

4.7L PowerTech™ V8

• Availability - Laredo and Limited models
• Type - Petrol, eight-cylinder, 90-degree V-type
• Capacity - 4.7 L (4,701 cc)
• Maximum power - 170 kW @ 4,500 rpm
• Maximum torque - 410 Nm @ 3,600 rpm
• Compression ratio - 9.0:1
• Bore and stroke - 93.0 x 86.7 mm
• Camshaft - Chain-driven SOHC
• Valve system - 16 valves, one intake and one exhaust per cylinder with hydraulic valve lifters
• Fuel system - Sequential, multi-port electronic injection
• Construction - Cast-iron block with twin aluminium cylinder heads
• Maximum engine speed - 6,000 rpm, electronically limited to 5,300 rpm
• Fuel recommendation - 91 RON unleaded petrol
• Emission controls - Dual three-way catalytic converters with heated oxygen sensors
• Emission class - Euro 4

5.7L V8

• Availability - Limited model
• Type - Petrol, eight-cylinder, 90-degree V-type with MDS (deactivates four cylinders - 1, 4, 6 & 7 - during steady speed, low acceleration and shallow grade climbing conditions)
• Capacity - 5.7 L (5,654cc)
• Maximum power - 240 kW @ 5,000 rpm
• Maximum torque - 500 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
• Compression ratio - 9.5:1
• Bore and stroke - 99.5 x 90.9 mm
• Camshaft - Single cam with silent chain drive, five bearings with deep fillet rolled journals and press fit torsional vibration damper
• Valve system - Overhead valve, pushrod system 16 valves, one intake and one exhaust per cylinder, hydraulic lifters with roller followers
• Fuel system - Sequential, multi-port electronic injection, returnless fuel delivery
• Construction - Deep-skirt cast-iron block with aluminium cylinder heads featuring hemispherical combustion chambers
• Maximum engine speed - 5,800 rpm
• Fuel recommendation - 95 RON unleaded petrol
• Emission controls - Dual three-way catalytic converters with heated oxygen sensors
• Emission class - Euro 4

3.0-litre CRD
The 3.0-litre CRD is a six-cylinder engine with aluminium crankcase and cast-in grey iron cylinder liners. Fuel delivery system features common-rail injection with piezo injectors. Valvetrain features four valves per cylinder with two camshafts per cylinder bank. Turbocharger has variable geometry with electronically adjustable turbine blades assisting in delivering up to 180 bar of peak combustion pressure. Turbocharger also features electronically controlled EGR valve, air intake throttling and swirl control by means of an electronically controlled intake port shut-off. Starting is enhanced by a Quick-Start glow plug system.

• Availability - Laredo and Limited models
• Type - Diesel, common-rail direct injection, six-cylinder, 72-degree V-type
• Capacity - 3.0 L (2,987cc)
• Maximum power -160 kW @ 4,000 rpm
• Maximum torque - 510 Nm @ 1,600-2,400 rpm
• Compression ratio - 18.0:1
• Bore and stroke - 83.0 x 92.0 mm
• Camshafts - Twin camshafts
• Valve system - 24 valves, two intake and two exhaust per cylinder
• Fuel system - Direct injection, high-pressure common rail
• Construction - Aluminium block with aluminium cylinder heads
• Maximum engine speed - 4,200 rpm, electronically limited
• Fuel recommendation - ULSD
• Emission controls - Two diesel oxidation catalysts at the close-coupled and toeboard positions
• Emission class - Euro 4

Transmissions
W5A580 five-speed automatic

• Availability - Standard with 3.7-litre and 3.0-litre CRD engines
• Description - Five-speed automatic with overdrive, electronic range select, adaptive electronic control and electronically modulated converter clutch
• Gear ratios
  • 1st - 3.59
  • 2nd - 2.19
  • 3rd - 1.41
  • 4th - 1.00
  • 5th - 0.83
  • Reverse - 3.16
  • Final drive ratio - 2.95

545RFE five-speed automatic

• Availability - Standard with 5.7L and 4.7L engines
• Description - Multi-speed automatic with overdrive, five forward speeds, alternate second gear, Electronic Range Select, tow/haul feature, brake-park interlock and electronically modulated converter clutch
• Gear ratios
  • 1st - 3.00
  • 2nd - 1.67
  • 3rd - 1.00
  • 4th - 0.75
  • 5th - 0.67
  • Reverse - 3.00
  • Final drive ratio - 2.50

Drivelines
Transfer case

• Availability - Standard on all models
• Type - NV245, on-demand four-wheel drive with electronically controlled clutch pack
• Operating modes - 4WD on demand, 4WD Low, neutral
• Low range ratio - 2.72:1
• Torque split, front/rear - Variable with 48/52 per cent default split

Axles, front and rear

• Differential type - Open - Laredo 3.7L & 4.7L, Electronic Limited Slip Differential - 3.0-litre CRD, 5.7L and Limited 4.7L
• Axle ratios - 3.55:1 - 3.0-litre CRD & 3.7L, 3.73:1 - 5.7L and 4.7L
• Gross axle weight rating - 1340 kg - front, 1455 kg - rear

4WD systems
Quadra-Trac II®
Standard on 4.7L. Active full-time system with two speeds (low range 2.72:1) and neutral, electronically controlled clutch pack coupling in centre differential and open front and rear differentials.

Quadra-Drive II®
Standard on 3.0-litre CRD, 5.7L and Limited 4.7L. Active full-time system with two speeds (low range 2.72:1) and neutral, electronically controlled clutch pack coupling in centre differential with front and rear Electronic Limited Slip Differentials.

Suspension and damping

• Front - Short/long arm (SLA) independent with gas-charged, twin-tube coil-over shock absorbers and stabiliser bar. 22.5 cm wheel travel
• Rear - Live solid axle and five-link suspension with twin upper and lower trailing tubular linking arms plus lateral track bar, coil springs, single-tube shock absorbers and stabiliser bars. 22.4 cm wheel travel

Steering

• Type - Hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion
• Overall ratio - Variable: 17.4:2 - 15.5:1
• Turning diameter - 11.8 m kerb to kerb
• Steering turns - 3.15 turns lock to lock

Brakes
Front

• Discs - 328 x 30 mm ventilated
• Calipers - 48 mm dual-piston sliding calipers
• Swept area - 1,757 sq. cm

Rear

• Discs - 320 x 14 mm solid
• Calipers - 48 mm single-piston sliding calipers
• Swept area - 1,650 sq. cm

System
Four-wheel, four-channel ABS with active wheel speed, vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, yaw rate and lateral acceleration sensors. Standard features: all-speed Traction Control System, Electronic Stability Programme, electronic roll-over mitigation system, deactivation switch and Electronic Brake Distribution.

Wheels and tyres
Standard equipment listed.
Laredo

• Wheel type and material - 17 x 7.5 in. "Orbitek" cast-aluminium alloy, painted satin silver
• Tyres, front and rear - 245/65R17 107H Goodyear Wrangler BSW all-season
• Spare tyre - full-size, matching wheel

Limited

• Wheel type and material - 17 x 7.5 in. "Ronin II" cast-aluminium alloy, machined face
• Tyres, front and rear - 245/65R17 107H Goodyear Wrangler BSW all-season
• Spare tyre - full-size, matching wheel

Dimensions
Dimensions are in millimetres unless otherwise noted.
Exterior

• Overall length - 4,750
• Overall width - 1,870 - excluding mirrors, 2,149 - including mirrors
• Overall height - 1,740 - with roof rack, 1,785 with roof rack and cross bars
• Wheelbase - 2,780
• Overhang, front - 855
• Overhang, rear - 1,105
• Track, front and rear - 1,575

Ground clearance (for 3.7-litre, 3.0-litre CRD and 5.7L)

• At front axle - 211
• At rear axle - 210
• Water fording depth - 508 at 8 km/h
• Approach angle - 23.3° (with front air-dam attached)
• Breakover angle - 20.6°
• Departure angle - 27.1°

Interior
Front

• Head room - 1,008
• Leg room - 1,058
• Shoulder room - 1,502
• Hip room - 1,452

Rear

• Head room - 999
• Leg room - 901
• Shoulder room - 1485
• Hip room - 1248

Cargo (SAE standard)

• Behind rear seats - 978 Litres
• Behind front seats with rear seats folded - 1,909 Litres

Weights (kg)

Laredo

• Kerb weight - 3.7L - 2,098, 3.0L CRD - 2,142, 4.7L - 2,130
• Gross vehicle weight* - 2,750 (3.0L & 4.7L), 2,675 (3.7L)

Limited

*Gross vehicle weight: kerb weight + passenger weight + cargo weight + maximum option weight

Capacities

• Maximum towing - 3,500 kg and 1,585 (3.7L)
• Maximum load per axle - 1,340 kg - front, 1,450 kg - rear
• Maximum roof load - 68 kg
• Fuel tank capacity - 77.7 L
• Washer fluid reservoir volume - 4.94 L