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jeep grand cherokee l 2021 a
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Feann Torr23 Jul 2021
NEWS

Jeep confirms death of the V8 engine

Electrification to kill off V8 and diesel engines in future, says Jeep boss

Jeep has become the latest brand to confirm it will abandon its hallowed V8 engines in the foreseeable future.

That’s right, the famous HEMI big-bore bent eight that has powered decades of Grand Cherokees, RAM pick-ups, Chrysler 300s and Dodge Chargers and Challengers will be relegated to history books and well-kept used vehicles in the not too distant future.

Asked during a recent global press conference when the company’s V8 engines will be retired, Jeep global boss Christian Meunier said:

“I think in the very long term it’s pretty obvious it will happen,” he responded.

“In the mid-term it’s clear that we want to protect the big V8 and the high-performance V8 as long as we can, especially in markets where there’s demand for it and where it makes sense to do it,” he added.

jeep grand cherokee l 2021 b

While the axing of the Chrysler 300 SRT has already been confirmed, Jeep Australia is yet to announce whether V8 power will continue to be available in the new Grand Cherokee due for release here later this year.

The redesigned 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee will continue with carryover (3.6-litre) V6 and (5.7) V8 engines in the US, and the new 4xe plug-in hybrid system will replace diesel power, but so far no powertrains have been officially confirmed for Australia.

As emissions regulation tighten and lobby groups propose the end of new petrol and diesel car sales – not only in Europe but also in Australia – established car-makers are scrambling to electrify their entire model ranges as early as 2025.

Beyond its 4xe PHEV powertrain, Jeep also recently pledged to offer a zero-emission EV in every SUV category by 2025.

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So it’s no surprise that vehicles like the 6.4-litre V8-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and the ballistic Trackhawk version with its supercharged 6.2-litre V8 will likely downsize to smaller petrol-electric hybrid powertrains or even fully-electric powertrains in the near future as a result.

Indeed, along with the outgoing Grand Cherokee, there are only four other mainstream (sub-$100,000) V8 models still on sale in Australia.

And even high-performance German brands like Mercedes-AMG, which can thank the humble V8 for their very existence, will soon dump their trademark eight-cylinder engine for a downsized (yet more powerful) four-cylinder hybrid powertrain in the next-generation Mercedes-AMG C 63 sports sedan.

The heroic V8-powered Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 4x4 will also need to have its cylinder count slashed or potentially replaced by an electric powertrain, although it’s a moot point for Aussies because it won’t be sold here.

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Asked exactly when the iconic V8 will be superseded by electrified powertrains at Jeep, Meunier said: “To answer the question bluntly, I love V8s but I love electrification even more.

“It’s very clear that electrification gives us an opportunity to get even more performance in a better way, with more acceleration, than an ICE [internal combustion] engine,” said Meunier.

“Because it can give me more – more acceleration, more power, more torque in a better package – and without harming the planet, I think it’s a better solution longer term.”

When pressed further, Meunier said Jeep would “transition” from V8 to electric power by the end of this decade, but left the door open for bent eights to continue in some markets beyond that – perhaps including Australia.

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“No, once again I think there will be a transition between now and 2030 and it will vary by market. In some markets we will continue to have V8, we will continue to have six-cylinder, we will continue to have diesel,” he said.

“This is a global trend. And I remember I had a lot of discussions with my Australian friends on the diesel and the V8 – and I love diesel, I love V8, I love to drive off-road with a V8 or diesel.

“At the same time the world is changing, the world is evolving. Our role is to make Jeep even more exciting and that platform of electrification gives it us. We’re lucky to have it, and we embrace it.”

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