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WranglerDiesel Liberator (Custom Wrangler) at SEMA
Posted by mike on 2006/10/25 8:54:24 (3133) reads

Excited about the prospect of a diesel Wrangler? Well then, let this whet your appetite a little bit more. Chrysler Group's SkunkWerks (more info below) is going to debut 7 new custom vehicles at this year's SEMA show (10/31 - 11/3 in Las Vegas) and one of them is going ot be diesel Wrangler named "Liberator".

Jeep Liberator CRD Diesel
Boasting superior range and significant low-end torque, the Jeep Liberator Common Rail Diesel (CRD) showcases the Jeep brand’s off-road capability while demonstrating the advantage of the common rail diesel engine.

Absent of carpet, leather and alloy wheels, the Liberator CRD is Jeep’s absolute commitment to form and function. Highlights include a top-of-the-line GPS navigation system, an entertainment system, a canvas roof with a full-length sliding panel, four vinyl-trimmed bucket seats, a 9,000-lb. winch, radical steel bumpers and outrageous 16 x 8-inch cast-aluminum bead lock wheels and Goodyear Wrangler MT/R 315/75R16 tires.


So, who/what is SkunkWerks? Named after the famous secretive Lockheed R&D division that created the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes, here's how Chrysler Group describes them:
Not since the days of the muscle car have performance-oriented products been given such an influential role at the Chrysler Group. Consumers experience it through performance parts from Mopar®, the winning Dodge Motorsports cars and trucks on America’s race tracks, and the Street and Racing Technology (SRT) niche vehicles developed by the company’s Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO).

But where does PVO get its ideas? Among the answers is the company’s SkunkWerks team – an unofficial group that was brought together as part of Chrysler Group’s growing emphasis on performance parts, accessories and customization.

“We work closely with the Chrysler Group SkunkWerks team in looking at future directions for performance vehicles and parts,” said Dan Knott, Director, Performance Vehicle Operations, whose responsibilities include overseeing the engineering of current and future Mopar Performance Parts. “Like PVO, the SkunkWerks team is composed of a group of dedicated enthusiasts that enjoy working on a wide range of special vehicle projects. They clearly have a grasp of what’s hot in the aftermarket industry. They are really able to stretch their imagination, and that helps us significantly as we develop the next renditions of SRT vehicles and Mopar Performance Parts.

“It’s important to note that several of the SkunkWerks team members are PVO engineers,” Knott added. “They walk the talk as PVO engineers during the day, and after hours they are enthusiasts working on SkunkWerks projects or their own vehicles. It all makes for lively idea generation between PVO and the SkunkWerks team.”

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Poster Thread
cshontz
Posted: 2006/10/25 13:26  Updated: 2006/10/25 13:26
Not too shy to talk
Joined: 2005/10/18
From:
Posts: 23
 Re: Diesel Liberator (Custom Wrangler) at SEMA
No digg! Possibly inaccurate.


Poster Thread
Jeepin
Posted: 2006/10/25 10:57  Updated: 2006/10/25 10:57
Home away from home
Joined: 2005/11/28
From: TX
Posts: 187
 Re: Diesel Liberator (Custom Wrangler) at SEMA
Yeah, the Liberator was the CRD KJ built for SEMA 2004 I think it was.

However, I have read that there WILL be a CRD JK Unlimited at SEMA supposedtly sporting 4.2L V6 CUMMINS motor (not the 2.8L used in the export JK's).

Poster Thread
Josephus
Posted: 2006/10/25 22:41  Updated: 2006/10/25 22:41
Home away from home
Joined: 2005/7/18
From: Pennsylvania
Posts: 243
 Re: Diesel Liberator (Custom Wrangler) at SEMA
I would be happy to see almost any major diesel manufacturer show up in the Wrangler if the EPA would just approve it already!
With that said I can't see how the 4.2 Cummins (already being used by Mercruiser) would be much of an advantage over the Mercedes 3.0 .
The HP and torque output is marginally better than the CRD (236hp and 450ft/lb) but I'm sure at 40% bigger the Cummins would suck down more fuel.
Of course if they put that much twist in the Wranglers they'll need heavier duty axles and gearboxes... That may not be a bad thing.

Poster Thread
sylvanis
Posted: 2006/10/25 10:29  Updated: 2006/10/25 13:02
Just can't stay away
Joined: 2006/1/26
From:
Posts: 104
 Re: Diesel Liberator (Custom Wrangler) at SEMA
Not dugg!

I'm sure that what Jeep will be showing is the KJ Liberator CRD.

see the link below

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z7793/Jeep_Liberator%20CRD/default.aspx

I saw the Liberator at Camp Jeep this summer. IIRC it was at the SuperLift booth.

Plus...Why would I want a full panel canvas top for when I could put the soft top down or open up my"freedom top"
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