GoldRubi,
I know what you mean about diesels being noisy and loud. For 5 years I drove a 97 PowerStroke and it was oh-ma-gawd loud, I could hear it 1000ft away. The Cummins isn't much better, but the DuraMax is quieter for sure. The 1 and only Liberty CRD I have seen was surprisingly quiet. The VW and Mercedes diesels I have seen in Duh-Burbia are even more quiet these days.
Personally I don't find any of the diesels as annoying as those fartin' mufflered imports I see blowing past me on the highway.

I know that the new diesels are quieter and better. If they offer the CRD in a Grand in 08 I will try and talk my mom into one.
My only question is do these things smell when you start them up in the garage when it is 10 degrees below zero? Any liberty owners that know?

I would like to see the 3.0 offered as a crate motor that I can swap into my LJ I'm not buying a new rig just to get the motor!

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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

The "smell " that you are referring to is the burnt sulfur. This is the reason for when one runs biodiesel the exhaust smells like french fries - there's very little sulfur content in biodiesel. Since the EPA has enacted the low sulfur content law- I assume that the exhaust will not "smell" as bad as we remember. Probably a Liberty CRD owner running on the low sulfur content could back this statement up. Almost all diesel today in the US has switched over to low sulfur.

Diesel Diesel DIESEL!

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What? Just because I say it like it is, and you don't care for it, doesn't make me evil.
or wrong.

I e-mailed Jeep on the Ask Dr. Z site, and asked the following:

"Please offer the Mercedes E320 CDI diesel engine or the 3.0L CRD diesel engine in the 2007 Wrangler Unlimited. I recently drove the Wrangler Unlimited at the Phoenix Ride, Drive and Win event (which was fantastic, by the way), but I am very concerned about the lack of power in the Wrangler Unlimited."

Here is the response I received:

"At this time, DaimlerChrysler has not released any plans that indicate the future production of the Jeep Wrangler models with the option of the 2.8L Common Rail Diesel engine for the North American market. However, with constantly shifting market trends I would hesitate to discount the possibility of new products on the horizon, specifically designed to suit your needs."

Pretty standard marketing fare; however, I noticed that the reply did not address the two engines I asked about, but instead talked about the 2.8L CRD engine. May not mean much, but it's a little more kindling for the fire.

Burnsville is offering the 2.8L CRD now and the 3.0L CRD as soon as it becomes available.

http://www.burnsvilleoffroad.com/MotorSwap/JK/JK30L.aspx

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What? Just because I say it like it is, and you don't care for it, doesn't make me evil.
or wrong.

Test drive in the Mercedes ML320 3.0L CDI 12-29-2006.
Balls galore! More torque than my 4.7 V-8 even with the crappy gearing in the street-biased Merc. This is the engine that should be available in EVERY Jeep product accross the board - not the Hemi. All of the power is available at idle, right where you need it, it revs quickly like a gasser. There are very few "diesel characteristics" to detect at idle (odor or sound). Under full throttle it has a little roar, but no more than a V8 gas engine. No turbo-lag at all. In the aerodynamic Merc it gets 21/27 mpg. Currently Mercedes is offering this engine in 4 of their models. I could see that easily expanding quickly through the Jeep nameplate as well.
2007 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon CRD
I'm sold. Where do I sign?

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What? Just because I say it like it is, and you don't care for it, doesn't make me evil.
or wrong.

Well in addition to the Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD for the US, the DaimlerChrysler Group announced there will be a 6.7L Cummins Bluetec going into the Dodge Ram supposedly in March.
Here is the link:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/FREE/70124002/1528/rss01&rssfeed=rss01
Oh I can just imagine a JKL Rubicon with one of these 350hp 650ft/lb monsters in it!

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What? Just because I say it like it is, and you don't care for it, doesn't make me evil.
or wrong.

I gave up on the diesel, and ordered mine last night. I have a VON, but the order has yet to be "picked-up" by the factory. Hopefully in mid-March it'll arrive.
Convertible season is just around the corner :) And I'm not getting any younger.

Update: 3-18-07
For those who care the 2.8L is now advertised in the UK and the mileage ratings (converted from UK to US miles) are 19 City and 28 Highway. I think that's pretty close to what the Liberty was rated back when it had the same 2.8 CRD.
It's a D@mn shame the US has gotten screwed so royally by Jeep on this. Daimler should either commit to building the best they can, or get out of Jeep business.

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What? Just because I say it like it is, and you don't care for it, doesn't make me evil.
or wrong.