Well, does not take a rocket scientist to know the consumer wants better MPG

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070621/chrys...ency.html?.v=1

 

V6 MDS... Nice.

 

It's about time, they have been going the wrong direction on some cars, especialy where it really matters, the compact car, that stupid "world engine" is a pos when it comes to fuel economy, 10 years ago dodges compact the, the neon, got 22/31 (2.0 3sp auto) and 25/35 (2.0 5sp manual), fastforward 10 years and the current dodge compact car, the Caliber ranges from 20/24 (2.4 w/ CVT) to 24/29 (1.8 5sp manual), all the numbers are based off the new EPA rating system, how they can make a small compact car with a little 2.4 4cyl with a CVTonly get 1MPG highway better than a full size station wagon with a 5.7 hemi with a 5sp auto is beond me.

 

I think they should make a hybrid version of the Ram with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. 35mpg 1-ton pickup truck, anyone?

 

The Detroit News has a similar article:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...706220359/1148

While I understand why they would choose the 2.4L 'World Engine' to do the direct injection development
(because they can share costs with Mitsu and Kia who are partners)
I strongly feel that it would make more money for Chrysler to convert the 5.7 and 4.7 V8s to direct injection so that truck customers would get both higher MPG and higher Horsepower.

A few weeks ago The Wall Street Journal reported that Chrysler still makes over $11,000 profit on trucks (even with rebates of $6,000) but only about $2000 on the small cars like Nitro/Caliber/Liberty. Getting truck buyers to purchase will turn Chrysler's $ losses around much faster than the smaller cars.

I assume the 'new axle technology' means a complete reworking of the CAD system....which was a gas waster from the begining and has had its share of annoying flaws especially in cold weather

 

DI is supposed to be better at boosting HP than boosting economy, so maybe the thing creating like a 292cid or 318cid HEMI would match the HP of the current 345, but get bettermileagefrom smallerdisplacement.

 

292 or 318? Are you just pulling these numbers from space?

 

Taking the 2.4L four cylinder 'World Engine'
and turning it into a 4.8L V8
should be straight forward.

 

a weblink to the full press release
that the articles are written from:

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...21/052675.html

the little tidbit that the new dual sparkplug 4.7
will be 5% more fuel efficient than the old 4.7
is of interest and seems to confirm
the 'rule of thumb'
that with 'normal' research & development effort
it is hard to improve an engine's fuel efficiency
more than 1% per year of research.
Honda and BMW have testified under oath to the same thing.

 

moe in wichita ks
you bought the lie about leaded gas in the 70s. so why shouldnt you buy the mpg crap now.