Chrysler's Diesel Experiment is Paying Off

At the moment, Chrysler has two diesel-powered models: the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500. Both are powered by a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel, and so far demand has been very solid. So solid, in fact, that the automaker is now looking to expand its diesel offerings even further. The diesel engine itself is built by VM Motori, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat Group. Supposedly, this company has the ability to build up to 100,000 of these diesel units per year.

At the moment, half of those engines are sent to North America, but that could change in the very near future. Sources are now indicating that within 18 months or so, EcoDiesel production could be greatly expanded. That makes sense considering many US Chrysler dealers "got well in excess of 10,000 orders in just the first few days" since the Ram 1500 diesel went on sale. What's also interesting is that the V6 oil burner carries a premium price tag - $2,850 more than a Ram powered by a 5.7-liter V8 Hemi. Demand for the Grand Cherokee diesel isn't quite as high as that of the Ram 1500. Those pickups only sit on dealer lots for an average of 13 days before being sold. Impressive, to say the least.