Swift Jeep Chrysler Dodge

• Up to 30 Percent Better Fuel Economy Compared to Equivalent Gasoline Engines

• An Average of 20 Percent Reduction in CO2 Emissions Compared to Equivalent Gasoline Engines

• Fun to Drive Diesels

Auburn Hills , Mich, Sep 27, 2004 - Diesel engines have come a long way from the loud, noisy power plants of an earlier time. Today’s diesel engines utilize advanced technology to offer smooth, responsive performance while increasing fuel economy approximately 30 percent and reducing CO2 emissions an average of 20 percent, compared to equivalent gasoline-powered vehicles. Chrysler Group’s new diesels are a key technology available today that can dramatically reduce the amount of crude oil consumed worldwide with an existing infrastructure. 

"Modern diesel engines offer our customers a combination of smooth power delivery, great low-end torque and excellent fuel economy," said Eric Ridenour, Executive Vice President of Product Development, Chrysler Group. "Unlike other options, diesels give these customer benefits in both city and highway driving conditions."

Chrysler Group's new 2.8-liter Common Rail Diesel (CRD) engine will join the line up of engines offered in the Jeep_® Liberty. The sophisticated power plant has the torque of a V-8, the acceleration of a V-6 and the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder engine. Although it's equipped with 160 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2.8-liter is designed to be a quiet, smooth-running engine that produces lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions without sacrificing performance.

“The 2.8-liter CRD is among today’s advanced diesel engines that emit 60 percent less emissions than diesel engines of 20 years ago,” said Craig R. Love, Vice President – Rear-Wheel Drive Product Team and Core Team Leader, Chrysler Group. “Additionally, the noise, vibration and harshness issues that characterized early diesel-powered vehicles have been dramatically reduced in the 2.8-liter CRD.”

A long standing member of Chrysler Group's powertrain offerings is the Cummins Turbo Diesel. Better drivability, clean and quiet, the new Cummins 610 Turbo Diesel sets the standard for advanced diesel technology. In 1988, Chrysler Group and Cummins revolutionized the diesel pickup with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. In 2005, the newest version of the engine was introduced, the Cummins "610". With 610 lb.-ft. of end torque and 325 hp, the new engine provides better performance for trailer towing, acceleration, throttle response and drivability. 

Advanced diesel is a proven technology. For years, Europeans have enjoyed the fuel economy benefits that diesel engines provide. More than 42 percent of all passenger vehicles sold in the European Union, and an even higher proportion of luxury vehicles sold there today, are powered by diesel engines.

"New sophisticated diesels offer a fun-to-drive experience with performance amplified by low-end torque," said Love. "For example, the 2.8-liter CRD in the 2005 Liberty adds to the already high Jeep utility and makes for a great overall package for our customers."

Advanced diesels are one of the sophisticated technologies available today in coexistence with hybrids as a short-term solution while fuel cell technology is a potential long-term solution to the fuel economy enigma. Chrysler Group continues to invest in and develop diesel technology for better fuel economy and fewer emissions as a core competence.

Light-duty diesel nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) have already been reduced by over 60 percent. In the last 20 years further improvements are required and will be achieved under Tier 2 and LEV II. The use of bio-diesel in these engines can contribute to further reduction of petroleum consumption and CO2 emissions.

Although today's diesel engines are extremely advanced, diesels are not a new technology. In 1892, Rudolf Diesel obtained the German patent for diesel engines. Gasoline engines of that time were very inefficient and Rudolf intended to produce a more economical combustion engine. Today’s advanced diesels are among the most efficient combustion engines.

The main differences between gasoline and diesel engines are:

• Gasoline engines take in a mixture of gas and air, compress it and ignite the mixture with a spark. Diesel engines take in just air, compress it and then inject fuel into the compressed air. The heat of the compressed air ignites the air/fuel mixture.

• Gasoline engines have compression ratios between 8:1 and 12:1, while diesel engine compression ratios are between 14:1 and 25:1. The higher compression ratio of the diesel engine leads to better efficiency and power.

To create combustion you need three elements: heat or pressure, fuel and oxygen. When you consider four-stroke gasoline engines, air and fuel are drawn into a cylinder through the intake valve during a piston down stroke, the piston compresses the charge during an up stroke, there is an explosion ignited by the spark plug pushing the piston down and the spent gasses escape through the exhaust valve on the next up stroke of the piston. A diesel engine works much the same except that there is no spark to ignite the air/fuel charge.

In some cold-start circumstances when the air/fuel charge cannot be brought up to combustion temperatures, diesels require a glow plug. A glow plug works like a heated wire and raises the air temperature inside the cylinder for cold-start, after which it turns off.

Most gasoline engines use port fuel injection, in which the fuel is injected just outside the cylinder into the intake manifold. Diesel engines utilize direct injection in which the fuel is introduced directly into the cylinder itself.

Diesel fuel is heavier for better lubrication and evaporates much more slowly than gasoline - its boiling point is higher than water. Diesel fuel is part of the answer to the fuel economy puzzle because it contains more energy per gallon than gasoline. On average, one gallon (3.8 L) of diesel fuel contains approximately 155 x 106 joules (147,000 BTU), while one gallon of gasoline contains 132 x 106 joules (125,000 BTU).

• The 2.8-liter Turbo Common Rail Diesel (CRD) is Quieter and Cleaner than Diesel Engines of the Past

• Chrysler Group’s 2.8-liter CRD Has Best-in-class Torque, Driving Range and Towing Capacity

Auburn Hills, Mich., Sep 27, 2004 - The Chrysler Group 2.8-liter Common Rail Diesel (CRD) engine is an advanced power plant with the torque of a small V-8, the acceleration of a V-6 and the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder gasoline engine. It is designed to be an efficient, smooth-running engine that gives customers improved fuel economy and produces lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions without sacrificing performance.

“The 2.8-liter Common Rail Diesel gives our customers added benefits over a gasoline engine without the negative aspects diesels carried just a few years ago,” said Bob Lee, Vice President Powertrain Product Team - Chrysler Group. 

Customer benefits of the Chrysler Group 2.8-liter CRD:

• Approximately 30 percent better fuel economy than equivalent gasoline engines

• Twenty percent lower CO₂ emissions than equivalent gasoline engines

• Higher torque rating

• Reduced noise, vibration and harshness

• Fun to drive

The advanced diesel engine will be available in the 2005 Jeep_® Liberty, and will mark the first use of a diesel engine in a mid-size sport-utility vehicle in the United States. The 2.8-liter CRD has three best-in-class statistics: 295 lb.-ft. of torque (400 N•m) @ 1,800 rpm, greatest driving range (480 miles) and highest towing capacity (5,000 pounds). The engine produces 160 horsepower and the Jeep Liberty has an estimated fuel economy of 22 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

The Chrysler Group 2.8-liter uses an advanced common rail direct injection fuel system. The injection process in the 2.8-liter CRD operates at fuel pressures nearly 70 percent greater than previous distributor pump systems, producing finer atomization of the fuel, leaner combustion and increased power. Direct injection also provides inherently lower hydrocarbon exhaust emissions and lower nitrogen oxides (NOx). The high-pressure pump is driven directly off the engine and supplies fuel at pressures up to 24,000 psi. The pump’s electronic control system responds to fuel demand and delivers the optimal fuel pressure, injection timing and injection duration.

The injectors on the 2.8-liter CRD have been improved compared to previous diesel engines. The result is that fuel burns more thoroughly, producing fewer particulates. An electronically controlled, variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) improves the control of boost pressure, reducing CO₂ emissions and improving full-load engine power and torque. To minimize turbo lag, the unit on the 2.8-liter features a vacuum reservoir. The reservoir also improves cold launch performance by allowing the turbo to spool up faster from idle.

Built into the turbo unit are variable vanes that allow it to act like a small turbocharger under launch conditions, but have the desirable characteristics of a larger turbocharger at higher engine speeds. The added benefit to customers is the enhanced low-end and high-end torque. 

The 2.8-liter CRD engine uses two pilot injections prior to the main injection. This system prepares the cylinders for the main injection of fuel, helping to smooth out the combustion and quiet the engine. The 2.8-liter uses electronically controlled ceramic smart glow plugs with a warm-up time of at most two seconds. They assist with low ambient-temperature start conditions and only operate when needed. Glow plugs in earlier diesels required up to 10 seconds of warm-up prior to engine start. 

"The Chrysler Group is working hard to improve the image of the diesel engine," said Lee. "New technology provides a direct benefit to our customers."

• Better Acceleration, Throttle Response and Drivability

• Fifty-state Certification Meets all U.S. Federal and State Emission Requirements

• Boasts 610 lb.-ft. of Torque Starting at Only 1600 rpm

Auburn Hills, Mich., Sep 27, 2004 - Chrysler Group and Cummins revolutionized the diesel pickup in 1988 with the introduction of the Dodge Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel. The team has set impressive benchmarks in the last 17 years. In 2005, Chrysler Group introduced the Cummins 610 in the Dodge Ram Heavy Duty. With 610 lb.-ft. (827 N•m) of torque, the engine provides better performance for towing and acceleration combined with improved throttle response and drivability over previous models.

“The Cummins 610 provides our Dodge Ram customers with a quiet and powerful diesel engine option,” said Bob Lee, Vice President of Powertrain Product Team - Chrysler Group. “We worked closely with Cummins to develop the engine for our full-size trucks.”

The Cummins 610 Turbo Diesel is not only more powerful, it's also cleaner. Particulates and nitrogen oxides (NOx)have been reduced to meet the 50-state 2005 emission standards. The advanced 610 meets all U.S. federal and state emission requirements. The Cummins engine includes technology to provide an in-cylinder solution along with a diesel oxidation catalyst. A uniquely designed piston combustion bowl and a high-flow, electronically controlled waste-gated turbocharger match boost pressure with engine needs to reduce emissions. This solution does not require exhaust gas recirculation, avoiding the need for over 50 components. 

The Cummins 610 Turbo Diesel offers reliability, durability and efficiency. The engine builds upon these features with:

• An average of 350,000 miles before overhaul

• Proven technology

• In-cylinder combustion and a diesel oxidation catalyst solution that requires no exhaust gas recirculation components

• Gallery cooled, high-strength aluminum pistons for durability

• Premium high-strength Inconel^®  exhaust valves and high-cobalt Stellite^®  exhaust valve seats for durability and long life

• A high-strength exhaust manifold with multi-layer gasket between head and manifold

• Forged steel, fracture-split connecting rods

The Cummins 610 includes advanced noise, vibration and harshness control systems to further reduce the noise at idle. These complex noise deadening systems greatly decrease the familiar sounds associated with earlier diesels. Part of the method is pilot injection - a short burst of fuel before the main injection. The pilot injection reduces the spike in combustion pressure for dramatically quieter combustion. Customers will realize greater comfort without compromising the impressive power of the Cummins 610.