The Jeep division of Auburn Hills’ FCA today announced its 2020 Wrangler EcoDiesel will deliver the highest driving range on one tank of fuel ever for Wrangler. It will go on sale before the end of the year.
The Wrangler four-door will have as standard equipment new, Italian-made 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine, rated at 260 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque, with engine stop-start (ESS) technology.
To handle greater torque loads, the EcoDiesel V-6 connects to a newly added TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission, calibrated for low RPM shifts and the on- and off-road rigors of Jeep Wrangler duty. There are more than 40 individual shift maps to optimize shift points for fuel economy, performance and 4×4 capability.
“One of the most common questions consumers have asked us over the last few years has been, ‘will you please offer a Jeep Wrangler diesel?’ and I’m pleased to answer that with a resounding, ‘Yes!’” says Jim Morrison, head of Jeep Brand in North America. “I recently drove the new Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel on the Rubicon Trail and can unquestionably attest to its incredible off-road capability. Combining that unmatched off-road capability with the vehicle’s fun-to-drive on-road performance, best-ever Wrangler fuel economy and incredible driving range underwrite the fact that our customers knew exactly what they were asking for.”
All Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel models – Sport, Sahara and Rubicon – feature third-generation Dana 44 front and rear heavy-duty axles. Additionally, all Wrangler EcoDiesel models feature a 3.73 axle ratio. Two transfer cases are offered: the Rock-Trac two-speed transfer case with a 4.0:1 low-range gear ratio on Rubicon models and the Command-Trac part-time two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio on Sport and Sahara models.
Several technical changes contribute to the new EcoDiesel’s improved dynamic and fuel economy performance:
- A new-generation water-cooled turbocharger with variable geometry turbine (VGT) and low-friction bearing increases efficiency and responsiveness during transient conditions.
- Redesigned cylinder head intake ports with higher flow capability improve swirl and flow, increasing performance and fuel economy.
- The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system design has been updated to a dual loop (low and high pressure) system. The added low-pressure circulation system draws gases after the diesel particulate filter, thus minimizing turbocharger energy losses, which increases fuel economy.
- The compression ratio has been optimized to 16.0:1 from 16.5:1 to improve fuel economy and reduce engine noise.
- High-pressure (29,000 psi/2,000 bar) direct-injection fuel injector nozzles were redesigned to match the newly designed and optimized combustion chamber, reducing fuel consumption.
- Lightweight aluminum alloy pistons were completely redesigned to include thinner rings and low-friction diamond-like carbon coating on the pin and compression piston ring to reduce parasitic losses.
- NVH has been improved by offsetting the piston pin 0.3 millimeters from the centerline.
- The lower portion of the two-piece oil sump uses a lightweight sandwiched polymer/metal material, which further reduces NVH.
- The dual vacuum pump system uses electric and a new mechanical low-friction pump with new blades that improve overall system efficiency.
