2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Sport Utility 4-door 5.7l on 2040-cars

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Here's what it'll take to build a Jeep Grand Cherokee Hellcat

Let's get one thing straight: We want a 707-horsepower Grand Cherokee Hellcat to happen. Badly. The latest report from Motor Authority is encouraging; the bonkers SUV supposedly has a codename, Project K, and has been given the green light for production. Fingers crossed. You might be wondering why the Trackhawk isn't already a thing. Hellcat engines exist, SRT Grand Cherokees exist, so just combine the two, right? It's not quite that easy. Here, we outline what needs to happen, why it should be the quickest Hellcat vehicle out there, and why it won't come anywhere near 200 miles per hour. How To Build A Hellcat Jeep The first engineering problem is feeding the air-intensive beast that is the 6.2-liter supercharged V8. The first engineering problem is feeding the air-intensive beast that is the 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8. Breathing is important on two counts: pulling in enough air for the combustion to put out 707 hp, and then cooling the various heat exchangers once the engine is up to temperature. Dodge did it with the Charger and Challenger, it can do it with the Jeep. This is one place where the Grand Cherokee's larger frontal area might be a boon, as it gives the engineers more surfaces through which to suck air. Once you generate the 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, it has to get to the wheels somehow. Jeep's current SRT all-wheel-drive system will at least need some beefing up to handle the torque. It could require a more complete re-engineering. We at least know the ZF-supplied eight-speed auto, used in the Dodge Hellcat models, is up to the task. The Hellcat engine should fit in the Grand Cherokee, as it's about the same size as the 6.4-liter currently in SRT Jeeps, but the Hellcat is taller because of its supercharger. The hood may need to be raised or at least resculpted for clearance, as well as to address those cooling needs. Quicker Than Everything, But Not Faster 200 mph? We're skeptical, from both a physics standpoint and a legal one. A reminder of the quick/fast distinction: quick is acceleration, fast is road speed. The Jeep's all-wheel drive will help put the Hellcat engine's power to the ground in a more manageable way than the Charger and Challenger do through just the rear wheels. That means better acceleration times than the Dodges (11.0 seconds in the quarter-mile for the Charger Hellcat, 11.2 for its Challenger sibling).

Fiat Chrysler CEO: No plans to sell brands to Chinese

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has no intention of breaking up the company or selling individual brands to China or other parties, the company's chief executive said on Monday at the Detroit Auto Show, adding that the group was counting on its coveted Jeep brand to drive future profits. "We're not going to break up anything," Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said at a news conference at the Detroit Auto Show. "We have no intention of breaking it up and giving anything to the Chinese." Marchionne said the Jeep sport utility vehicle brand could help FCA double its net profit. FCA's portfolio also includes luxury Maseratis, sporty Alfa Romeos and tiny Fiats. FCA's share price has jumped more than 30 percent this year on a bullish outlook for the auto sector, Jeep growth expectations and speculation that Marchionne's final year at the helm could prompt strategic deals such as spinoffs, technology alliances and disposals. The popularity of the Jeep brand, which is targeting sales of 2 million vehicles this year, has prompted talk it could be spun off from the group, as happened with tractor maker CNH Industrial and supercar group Ferrari, or sold off. Rumors have resurfaced that Guangzhou Automobile Group might be interested in snapping up part of FCA. Marchionne said on Monday that while GAC has partnered to deliver Jeeps to the Chinese market and FCA is talking to the Chinese automaker about helping it enter the U.S. market, "none of these things are designed to impact on the independence of FCA." FCA has often been the subject of merger speculation, especially after its unsuccessful 2015 attempt to tie up with larger U.S. rival General Motors. Its share price jumped to record highs in August after reports of interest from China's Great Wall Motor Co and South Korea's Hyundai. Marchionne said while both Jeep and truck brand Ram are strong enough to exist on their own, "we need to talk about ... what will be left behind." Marchionne said he has recommended to the company's board that the automaker spin off Magneti Marelli, a maker of components for lighting, engines, electronics, suspension and exhausts, to shareholders by the end of 2018. Marchionne confirmed FCA's targets for 2017 and for 2018, including a plan to erase all debt and generate up to 5 billion euros ($6.14 billion) in net cash.

Chrysler investigating complaints of vehicles with faulty power modules

Chrysler owners are hopping mad after experiencing a series of electrical gremlins in some of the company's vehicles. Issues range from mere annoyances - windows rolling down and radios turning off of their own accord - to serious safety issues, with headlights that randomly shut off at night and cars that stall and refuse to start.
The issues are being blamed on the total integrated power module, which can cost up to $1,000 for customers to replace. This, of course, has led to a hefty batch of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with 240 owners expressing their displeasure so far. Another site, CarComplaints.com, has registered over 300 complaints relating to the 2010 to 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, alone, according to The New York Times.
Chrysler has acknowledged that it's investigating the complaints and is analyzing the faulty TIPMs, but that isn't quite enough for customers of the affected vehicles. The newspaper has snagged a few of the more harrowing tales with the electrically challenged Chrysler products, culled from the NHTSA complaints.