Jeep unveils new Grand Cherokee for real

After a sneak preview in Chrysler's submission to the US government Jeep has officially revealed the new Grand Cherokee to the public. The new luxury off-roader was the star of the company's stand as the New York motor show opened this week.

This car will play a crucial role in the future Chrysler LLC and the company used it as a key element in its Treasury Department submission(more here).

With the Commander model not scheduled to be replaced, the Grand Cherokee will have to fill a larger segment for the brand.

It is also the first model to utilise the company's new V6 engine and the first Jeep to benefit from Chrysler's new Advanced Interior Design Studio. Fuel economy and design were two key criticisms from the government's Auto Task Force submission to President Obama and Chrysler believes the new Cherokee addresses those problems.

The new 3.6-litre V6 features Variable Valve Timing (VVT) which Jeep claims contributes to an 11 per cent improvement in fuel consumption; less than the 19 per cent the company claimed in the government submission.

Jeep also claims a larger 93-litre fuel tank helps the V6 achieve a range of almost 800km on a single fill. Power and torque for the new engine is claimed to be 209kW and 353Nm.

Buyers will still be able to choose a 5.7-litre HEMI V8 with 268kW and 520Nm. Both engines are mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

Design was a major focus for the company and it shows with a fresh exterior and interior for the Cherokee. Sitting on the same platform as the Mercedes-Benz ML range the new model is 46mm longer overall than the current car and sitting on a wheelbase stretched by 135mm. The width has also been increased by 70mm in a bid to not only improve ride and handling but also interior space.

Interior design and build quality has long been the Achilles' heel of the Chrysler brands, and special attention has been paid to the cabin. It is the second model from Chrysler LLC to have been styled by the interior design studio that was created in 2006 to tackle the problem.

The result is a dramatically improved look with better style, ergonomic and materials (although we'll reserve our judgment until we see it in the flesh) and one that the company is proud of.

"Following in the footsteps of our all-new 2009 Dodge Ram, our all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee is another proud graduate of our Advanced Interior Design Studio," said Ralph Gilles, Vice President -- Design. "We achieved a world-class interior by using fine materials and maintaining a laser-attention to details."

In addition to government critics Jeep has also had to contend with complaints from owners that the current model has lost the same level of off-road ability as previous Grand Cherokees. To counter that the car rides on newly developed Quadra Lift air suspension that raises the ride height by 114mm to a maximum clearance of 281mm. 

"We listened carefully to our customers and the market," says Scott Kunselman, Vice President of Jeep/Truck Product Team. "Our all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee hits the sweet spot of premium on-road performance and legendary class-leading Jeep capability."

Jeep calls the car the 2011 Grand Cherokee meaning it will likely make its debut in the showrooms sometime in 2010. Right-hand drive production is already confirmed and Chrysler Australia has put its hand up.

"We'll be getting it as soon as we can," says Jerry Stamoulis.

Also confirmed for international markets is the addition of a diesel engine to the V6 and V8 petrol units. History suggests Australia should start receiving its cars sometime between six and 12 months after left-hand drive production gets underway.

"It's a car we want. It's still very early for us to get timing though," he adds.

That's all assuming Chrysler is able to complete its alliance with Fiat by the time the US government support stops at the end of the month.