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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Fiat MultiJet II coming to the US


Fiat MultiJet II diesel technology will likely make its first appearance in the US during the 2013 model year. The Head of the Jeep brand, Mike Manley, mentioned during the unveiling the new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 last week, that it is likely a diesel option will be offered in the Grand Cherokee.

This news is significant as it shows there is the desire to bring Fiat diesel technology to the US, and also gives hope that other diesels may show up as well... like the 1.3L MultiJet II for the Fiat 500.

MultiJet II is a breakthrough technology that improves the drivability, refinement, power and fuel efficiency of a diesel engine. Just as Common Rail technology was a revolution in the way a diesel engine behaved, MultiJet II offers the same remarkable transformation.

You can read more on Fiat MultiJet II technology here.

Go to the Official Fiat MultiJet II website.

The first diesel engine we should see in the US with MultiJet II we can assume will be a variation of the one that is sold Europe in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is brand new for 2011 and has already won numerous awards. It is considered the standard of which to be judged and, with the addition of the MultiJet II engine, it promises to make an already impressive vehicle quite special.

Read more about the MultiJet II version of the Grand Cherokee below, courtesy of Fiat Group Press in Europe:


New Jeep® Grand Cherokee Now Powered by New 3.0-liter Turbo Diesel Engine

  • New 3.0-liter turbo, direct-injection V-6 diesel engine now available for the all-new Jeep® Grand Cherokee
  • Fitted with MultiJet II Technology developed by Fiat Powertrain
  • New engine delivers more power and torque with improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions
  • New 3.0-liter turbodiesel in the European markets end of first semester.
  • Diesel engine joins the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter MDS V-8 petrol engines
  • Laredo and Limited versions now available in Europe
At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the all-new Jeep® Grand Cherokee will debut a new, optional 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine available for Europe and other diesel markets. The new engine is more powerful, more fuel efficient and produces lower emissions than its predecessor.

Built by VM Motori and developed together with Fiat Powertrain, company of Fiat S.p.a., the new 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine produces maximum power of 177 kW (241 hp DIN) at 4,000 rpm and torque of 550 N•m (406 lb-ft) at 1,800-2,800 rpm. This translates to 10 percent more power and eight percent more torque than the engine it replaces.

Even with its improved performance, fuel economy for the new 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine is 8.3 L/100km on the combined cycle, an improvement of 19 percent over the prior diesel engine. CO2 emissions (combined cycle) are also reduced by 20 percent, now at 218 g/km.


The new V6 turbodiesel is fitted with new-generation, 1800 bar injectors with new MultiJet II technology, developed and patented by Fiat Powertrain and which made its début in 2009 on the 1.3 Small Diesel Engine equipped on the Punto Evo.

Engine Block Structure

The new 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine features a compressed graphite iron, 60-degree block with aluminum cylinder heads and a two-piece structural aluminum oil pan. Bore is 83 mm (3.27 in) and stroke is 92 mm (3.62 in) for a total displacement of 2987 cm3 (182 in3). Bore spacing is 96 mm (3.78 in).

The engine is compact and lightweight, with overall dimensions of 695 mm (27.36 in) in length, 729 mm (28.7 in) in width and 697.5 mm (27.46 in) in height. Weight of the fully dressed new engine is 230 kg (507 lbs).

The engine block features a crankcase architecture with stiffened construction, including a bedplate that provides a rigid and stiff carrier for the crankshaft. This in turn helps reduce overall noise from the lower reciprocating assembly and contributes to significant improvements in overall noise, vibration and harshness.

Adding to the structural rigidity of the block, the two-piece aluminum oil pan has been designed to provide strength and contribute to the quietness of the engine. The lower pan has been reinforced for off-road use. Crankcase capacity is 7.7 L (2 gal).


Cylinder heads are constructed of aluminum and feature a chain-driven, dual overhead-camshaft design with four valves per cylinder. Intake valves measure 28 mm (1.1 in), and exhaust valves are 24.5 mm (0.96 in) in diameter. Combustion-chamber volume is 24.68 cm3 (1.51 in3).

A forged-steel crankshaft is supported by four main bearing journals fitted with four-bolt main bearing caps incorporated into the bedplate. Externally balanced, the crankshaft measures 442.2 mm (17.41 in), reducing the overall packaging requirements of the engine. Connecting rods, with an overall length of 162.9 mm (6.41 in), are constructed of cast iron.

Lightweight, cast-aluminum pistons are redesigned to provide minimal friction. The compression ratio of the new diesel engine is now 16.5:1, reduced from 18.1:1 on the previous model, contributing to cleaner combustion and providing more power.

All main bearings are a “lead free” design for reduced environmental impact during construction and later recycling of the engine.


Engine Performance Features


The induction system includes swirl control to optimize combustion. Fitted between the intake system and the combustion chamber, the swirl control effectively provides an ideal air/fuel mixture at all levels of engine speed.

Precise fuel delivery is through a 1,800-bar common-rail fuel-injection system.
Thanks to the new MultiJet II technology, which makes use of a special balanced solenoid valve, the new injector is capable of making up to 8 injection per cycle with the possibility of managing the two main injections in a single modular profile (IRS – Injection Rate Shaping) thus guaranteeing a reduction in consumption and polluting emissions of approximately 2% compared to a traditional injector and ensuring a drastic reduction in noise levels.

The new 3.0-liter diesel engine utilizes a single Garrett VGT 2056 turbocharger with variable turbine geometry. Compact and lightweight, the turbocharger provides near-instant response and includes an air-to-air intercooler.


Fuel Economy and Emissions

Fuel economy for the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.0-liter turbo diesel engine is rated at 10.3 L/100 km on the urban cycle and 7.2 L/100 km on the extra-urban cycle. For the combined cycle, the fuel economy is rated at 8.3 L/100 km.

The engine is designed to run on EN590 ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.




For this engine, cast-iron exhaust manifolds are utilized. Additional emissions controls include a close-coupled diesel oxidation catalyst and standard diesel particulate filter. Euro 5 emissions are met through an exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) system that includes an EGR valve with DC motor and a high-performance EGR cooler with bypass valve.

CO2 emissions are reduced to 270 g/km for the urban cycle and 188 g/km for the extra-urban cycle. Combined-cycle CO2 emissions are now 218 g/km.



Fiat Group Press

7 comments:

Daniël Mantione said...

I am confused. The diesel engine from VM Motori is not a Multijet. In fact, the former owner of VM Motori, General Motors, used this engine in several of their European models. So the f
ear would be that this engine has little in common with the Multijet engines. The 1.3 Multijet, besides having record low fuel consumption and really good torque also excells in that it requires ultra-low maintenance and is very durable. Wether this engine will have the same properties... I doubt it.

RacerRon said...

That sounds great, but with diesel prices in the U.S. being higher than gas, it doesn't make a lot of sense to purchase a diesel-powered car in my opinion. Sure, diesels will give more miles per gallon, but I'm not sure it's enough to offset the higher price at the pump.

Anonymous said...

Seriously? 1800bar injectors? That's 26,460psi. The new MB direct injection engines run 200bar. I know its a diesel, but damn!

Anonymous said...

I hope a MultiJet diesel makes it into a small pick up truck. And soon.

Anonymous said...

I'm not the best at liters per 100km to MPG conversion. But 28.3mpg is not that far off from the pentastar V6 in that Jeep. I know it has more torque and off road 4wd it may drink less gas. But I'm sure it would not be that much difference. If it is a $5000 option only with Laredo trim, I don't think it will work out for them. If they get it all sorted out and get a 8 speed transmission and offer it if front wheel drive, I could get worthwhile and get 35mpg in a mini van or large FWD car.

Daniël Mantione said...

Maybe I should look at it this way:

The Grand Cherokee will be sold in Europe too. But you can't sell a gas guzzler like this, it will cost people a fortune with European fuel prizes. So, already in January, it was announced that the Grand Cherokee will be launched with an engine from VM Motori (source: http://www.autoedizione.nl/2011/01/11/fiat-wil-mogelijk-de-helft-van-vm-motori/).

Why launch it in the U.S. too? Because the cars for Europe will be produced in the U.S. So, the factory has to be capable of producing diesel versions. If it can produce them anyway, why not make it available in the U.S. too?

Anonymous said...

I drove a diesel 500 in Italy for a week two summers ago. Fantastic car, wonderful engine. Clean, quiet, plenty of power for the autostrada. If Fiat brought it to the U.S. I'd have a hard time choosing between the diesel and the Abarth.