Grand Cherokee is one of the icons of SUV segment. End of 1990s and in the beginning of 2000, it was one of the most competitive vehicle on market despite its huge V8 petrol engine. However, as the petrol prices rised and new SUV introduced to market, Grand Cherokee's power diminished and turn into a inferior SUV. More basicly, people tend to prefer Grand Cherokee, because it was cheaper than its rivals. They were not choosing it, because people willing to drive a big SUV and they don't want to pay too much money to Mercedes or Range Rover. And they preferred Grand Cherokee!
Grand Cherokee lost its market power very dramatically! As Chrysler could not keep up with customers demand and they could not developed vehicles which is good enough for market. And everything collapsed. However they still have chance, but how?
Now, Chrysler and Fiat started to work together and soon we will see Fiat's diesel and small petrol engines in Chrysler range. And we could see something very interesting ;) Like; Fiat powered Grand Cherokee !!!
As we all know that Fiat is very good at small diesel engines. Also during last decade, diesel engine became nearly forty percentage more powerful. So; in following years Chrysler could come up with Grand Cherokee 1,3lt Diesel. I know 1,3lt Fiat diesel is only producing 95 horsepower but when we consider the sudden increase in diesel engines, Fiat could introduce 150 horsepower version of the same engine. Or, they could offer this small diesel in small Cherokee and introduce 2,0lt diesel in Grand Cherokee.All of these are just predictions, however there is something very obvious about Cherokee's future; it will have very small diesel engine to survive! Sorry Cherokee, you have to get use to small diesels ;)
Picture; Grand Cherokke, Jeep Website
