Preview - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Coming to India in October

The 2014 Grand Cherokee gets a new look outside and in, and Jeep claims to have improved performance on-road and off. Jeep's trademark capability will come as standard on all the variants along with a raft of equipment that positions the Grand Cherokee firmly at the heart of the premium SUV market.

The 3.0-litre turbo diesel will come with a new eight-speed automatic transmission and this will reduce the consumption and emissions while improving acceleration and delivering smoother, faster gear changes. All models have a smart new look characterized by bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights (DRLs), new wheels and new colour combinations.

On the inside, there is a new TFT (Thin Film Transistor) 7-inch configurable driver display in the instrument cluster. On the dashboard sits a new Uconnect display with an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Limited Plus, Overland, Summit and SRT models have the new Smartouch satellite navigation as standard; it can be specified in all other models.The top-of-the-range Summit and high-performance SRT come with a state-of-the-art 19-speaker, 825-watt Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system.

A stand-out feature of all models is the comprehensive array of safety equipment. This includes new Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop (available late 2013), Forward Collision Warning with Crash Mitigation and new Selec-Speed Control which supplement the rich array of more than 60 standard-fit active and passive safety systems.

Legendary Jeep capability comes courtesy of three four-wheel drive systems. These include the accomplished Quadra-Trac II, the on-road focused and SRT-exclusive Quadra-Trac and the sophisticated Quadra-Drive II with its rear Electronic Limited-Slip Differential. These are complemented by the Jeep Quadra-Lift air suspension and the Selec-Terrain and Selec-Trac traction management systems which ensure the Grand Cherokee's power is put to good use in all conditions.

The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is available in Laredo, Limited, Limited Plus, Overland and the exclusive top of the range Summit trim. All these models feature the 3.0-litre CRD engine which employs Fiat Group Automobiles' ground breaking MultiJet 2 technology for a class-leading compromise between effortless power and fuel-saving efficiency. The Laredo model features a lower-powered version of the CRD engine while the high-performance SRT gets the punchy 6.4-litre V8 HEMI engine delivering 461 bhp.

There are nine colour options for exterior paintwork along with five wheel designs. A raft of distinctive new colours inside ensures there really will never be a dull moment in the life of the new Grand Cherokee owner.

ENGINES:

The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is powered by the efficient 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine. The V6 unit features direct injection and common rail along with MultiJet 2 technology.

3.0-litre V6 CRD

The vast majority of 2014 Grand Cherokee sales will be powered by the punchy 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel. This engine produces its maximum power of 247bhp at 4000rpm while torque is a hefty 570Nm at 2000rpm. The powertrain is also offered in a low output version, which delivers 188bhp at 4000rpm while torque stands at a very respectable 440Nm between 1600 and 2800rpm. The 37.7mpg fuel consumption has been improved by 10 per cent compared to the previous model while CO2 emissions stand at 198g/km, a nine per cent reduction.

These improvements, along with a dramatic reduction in noise levels, have been made possible by Fiat Powertrain Technology's ground-breaking MultiJet 2 technology. This employs a special balanced solenoid valve which permits up to eight injections per cycle. It also manages two main injections in a single modular profile (called Digital Injection Rate Shaping).

Compact and lightweight, this engine features an 1800-bar common-rail fuel-injection system, compressed graphite iron, 60-degree block with aluminium cylinder heads and a two-piece structural aluminium oil pan. Cylinder heads are constructed of aluminium and feature a chain-driven, dual overhead-camshaft design with four valves per cylinder. For this engine, cast-iron exhaust manifolds are used. Additional emissions controls include a close-coupled diesel oxidation catalyst and standard diesel particulate filter. Euro 5+ emissions are met thanks to an exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) system that includes an EGR valve with DC motor and a high-performance EGR cooler with bypass valve.

Towing capability is up to 3500kg for all models apart from the Summit which can pull up to 2949kg.

New eight-speed automatic transmission

Both V6 turbo diesel and V8 HEMI versions of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee feature the new eight-speed automatic transmission. This fully electronic gearbox helps to reduce consumption and emissions while delivering faster acceleration allied with precise, smooth gear changes. In automatic mode, it alters how it changes gear on the move and has manual shifting capability using steering wheel paddles.

This new transmission has 40 shift maps which automatically adapt to specific driving conditions to optimise the quality of gear changes. Intelligent software takes into account variables such as acceleration, engine torque, gradients, kick-down events and travelling speed to determine the appropriate shift map. The result is automatic shifting ideally tuned to the performance requirements of almost any style of driving while maximising fuel economy.

The transmission's efficiency and its spread of ratios yield the best possible fuel economy by operating at lower engine revs in both urban and open-road situations. The addition of more gear ratios helps bridge the gap between gears for smoother up and downshifts. Internally, the transmission has four gear sets and five shift elements (multi-disc clutches and brakes). Only two shift elements are open at any time. With fewer open shift elements, friction losses due to multiple parts rotating relative to one another are reduced, improving fuel efficiency.

New Eco Mode

The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee has improved fuel economy partly thanks to its new Eco Mode. This optimises the Grand Cherokee's transmission shift schedule as well as throttle sensitivity to minimise fuel consumption. It also activates the Quadra-Lift air suspension system, where fitted, to lower the body, further enhancing the vehicle's aerodynamics, for optimum fuel efficiency. Eco Mode is automatically engaged when the vehicle starts up. A button on the centre console allows drivers to disengage it for livelier performance.

Quadra-Lift air suspension

In order to deliver excellent dynamic performance both on and off-road, an array of sophisticated systems are employed. The Quadra-Lift air suspension is standard on Overland and Summit versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. This features air springs on each corner to maximise ride comfort and permits the driver to adjust the vehicle's ride height manually by up to 10cm using controls on the centre console.

The five levels of adjustment include Normal Ride Height (NRH), the standard position with ground clearance of 22cm for improved fuel efficiency and maximum comfort during on-road driving. Off-Road 1 raises ground clearance to 25.4cm for clearing off-road obstacles. Off-road 2 gives the highest ground clearance of 28cm. Park Mode lowers the vehicle by 4cm from NRH to make loading easier. Aero Mode lowers the vehicle by 1.3 cm from NRH. This function is controlled by vehicle speed and perfectly adjusts the aerodynamics for optimal performance. This doubles as Eco Mode because of the beneficial effect it has on fuel economy.

Jeep Selec-TracTM system

Fitted only on the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT model, the retuned Selec-Trac system automatically adapts the dynamics of the vehicle to customers' habits and driving conditions. It manages this by interacting with several different systems (stability control, active damping, transmission shift strategy, transfer case torque proportioning, Electronic Limited-Slip Differential performance, throttle control and cylinder de-activation).

Drivers can manually choose between the following dynamic modes: Auto, Sport, Tow, Track, and Snow - for specific performance attributes. On 2014 SRT models, software improvements to Selec-Trac further distinguish the five dynamic modes, enabling drivers to choose a vehicle setting that more ideally meets their requirements and ambient conditions. Drivers will find the torque split change in Track Mode provides a vehicle that is more responsive from mid-corner to exit and one that delivers faster lap times around a track.

Improved on-road

It doesn't matter which version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee buyers choose, they'll find a vehicle that's been designed from the ground up to have outstanding on-road dynamics. As an example, each body shell features 5400 welds for increased rigidity.

The independent front and rear suspension feature isolated front and rear cradles with variable-rate rear springs to deliver improved on-road handling and comfort while complementing the vehicle's legendary off-road capability. The rear suspension's packaging also allows the spare tyre to be stored inside the vehicle rather than underneath it.

Meanwhile the 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT rides on a Short and Long-Arm (SLA) independent front suspension with coil springs, Bilstein Adaptive Damping Suspension (ADS), upper and lower-control arms (A arms), and a stabiliser bar. The rear suspension is a multi-link design with coil spring, Bilstein ADS, aluminium lower control arm, independent upper links (tension and camber), plus a separate toe link, and a stabiliser bar. The SRT-tuned, active Adaptive damping suspension is managed by Selec-Trac.

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