CAR TRENDS WALLPAPER

Paris Preshow: Jeep Announces Fresh Euro Lineup, Two New Oil Burners

Jeep will debut an updated European lineup in Paris this year, and for the first time in a while it may actually appeal to Western European consumers. The 2011 Grand Cherokee, revised 2011 Wrangler, and the rest of the off-road crew are appearing to showcase two new forms of diesel power.

Naturally, Jeep won't be bringing anything new models to the Parisian table, but the diesel engines are here in order to help entice European buyers into giving the American Commando brand a closer look.

After all, the Grand Cherokee - which now rides on a Quadra-Lift air suspension setup like other hoity-toity SUVs - has a good bit of Benzo DNA in it and looks great. No word yet on what kind of diesel engine is getting under that hood, but it should help the new GC give them Euro boys some competition.

The larger of the previously-mentioned new forms of propulsion is a 2.8 liter turbodiesel V6 debuting in the 2011 Cherokee (I wish; it's the Liberty in Amurrica) and 2011 Wrangler; it features Chrysler's first stab at start/stop tech if equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission.

The 2.8 TD makes 200 horsepower and 410 Nm or 460 Nm ( lb ft) of torque with the 6-speed stick and 5-speed auto, respectively, while improving efficiency by 13% and cutting emissions by 14% (15% in the Cherokee 4X4).

According to Jeep, the new combined fuel economy figures are 7.7 lt/100km or 30.6mpg US for the manual Cherokee (7.8 lt/100km with the auto box), 7.1 lt/100km or 33.1mpg US for the manual Wrangler (Auto: 8.1 lt/100km) and 7.4 lt/100km or 31.8mpg US for the manual Wrangler Unlimited (Auto: 8.3 lt/100km).

A 163-horsepower / 320 Nm 2.2-liter TD engine with a 6-speed will make its appearance in the Patriot/Compass siblings in place of the old 2.0-liter. It'll help the not-so-cute utes tow up to 2000 kg, consume 6.6 lt/100 km or 35.6 mpg US combined, and emit 172 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

For full specs on the 2011 Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, go ahead and check out our previous posts. Regarding the 2011 Cherokee, stay right here. For Europe, there will be a special "Jet" edition appearing in Paris.

On the outside it will get bright trim (lower fascia, side molding, roof runners, and above the license plate), chrome mirrors, black headlight housings, and tinted windows; inside, "accent stitching" is optional. The Cherokee Jet will be available in Bright Silver, Dark Charcoal, Brilliant Black and Blackberry and comes with a...(sigh)..."Jet" badge on the fenders.

Jeep President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Manley says, "The Jeep brand's legendary heritage has made it one of the most recognized brands in the world. [It] continues to evolve with new vehicles, designs, powertrains and technology. We are proud to bring the newest Jeep innovations to Paris, including the Company's first application of Stop/Start technology that helps improve Jeep Wrangler's fuel economy by up to 13 percent, as well as the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee, designed and built to answer the needs of customers here in Europe and around the world."

By Phil Alex

MBTech Shows Off Plug-In Hybrid Pickup Concept at IAA Show in Hannover

Daimler subsidiary MBTech has presented a 1:1 scale model of its Reporter concept study at the 63rd IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover. The four-seater plug in hybrid pickup truck with the Smart Fortwo-esque fascia was designed in just six months using CAD and digital prototyping.

At a press conference at the show, MBTech President and Spokesperson Werner Kropsbauer explained the rationale behind the Reporter: "We wanted to create a low-emission vehicle drive for urban and regional transport which is realistically feasible today and not in 2025."

Though the example shown at the IAA Show was merely a mock up, MBTech has been thinking about the drive system for a working prototype. The Reporter would use a plug-in hybrid system MBTech calls DualX E-Drive, which couples a 70 kw (94 hp) electric motor with a 75 kw (101 hp) 1.2-liter internal combustion engine that can run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas.

In the DualX E-Drive system, the electric motor turns the rear wheels while the ICE turns the front. The two systems can either work independently or together, though MBTech has not said what switching from FWD to RWD to AWD would do to the driving dynamics.

The Reporter is expected to have a top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph) and a combined range of 300 km (186 miles), which drops to 55 (34 miles) if using only the electric motor.

It also features a network of tiny solar cells on the tonneau cover, which produce 266 Watts – enough to power the air conditioning, interior lightning or the sound system (though not all three at once). The cells can also be used to recharge the vehicle's 12 volt battery.

By Tristan Hankins

New Photos of Kia's Paris Show Mini Car Concept Pop Up

Kia has let loose new photos of its POP electric mini car concept a week ahead of its scheduled world premiere at the 2010 Mondial de l'automobile in Paris. The overly futuristic looking study for a small electric vehicle was penned by Kia's European design team under the direction of Peter Schreyer, Kia's Chief Design Officer, and Gregory Guillaume, the firm's Chief Designer in Europe.

"A concept car like the POP could only have come from us," says Gregory Guillaume. "Designers very rarely have the opportunity to start from a clean sheet of paper and it's great to be in a position to operate with such freedom."

That freedom translates into a car measuring just three meters in length, or 15mm longer than the Toyota / Scion iQ, with swinging front doors and seating for three with a couch-like front bench seat and a side-mounted single seat at the back, which looks perfect for junior 'time out' or to revenge your mother-in-law.

The South Korean maker is keeping a tight lid on other details.

The POP Concept car will share Kia's Paris motorshow stand with a number of production models including the new Optima sedan that will make its Euro debut before going on sale in select European countries this year. Kia said sales throughout Western Europe will commence in 2011. The EU-spec Optima will be offered with a choice of two powerplants, a 1.7-liter turbo diesel with 136-horsepower and a 2.0-liter gasoline engine delivering 170-ponies.