Jeep performance models, tow ratings won't suffer with I6, boss says

Motor Authority peppered Jeep chief Jim Morrison with a few pointed questions at the New York Auto Show about changes in store for the lineup. Now that the Hurricane inline-six is official, the writing on the wall for the demise of the Hellcat and Chrysler's family of Hemi V8s has dripped down the walls and is pooling on the floors. Since you already know how some of us here feel about the Hemi, this isn't exactly bad news. It leaves the Trackhawk trim bellowing down a one-way road, though, since Jeep announced the end of V8s in the Grand Cherokee. When MA asked Morrison about future Trackhawks, he replied, "I don't know. Could it be a variant of Trackhawk? Electrichawk? Who knows..."   

But when one door closes, another one opens. Stellantis refuses to confess to the performance hybrid game plan for the Hurricane I6, but such engines are coming. This quote from MA is the best we can do to close the case without a body, unless Jeep plans to follow AMG into four-cylinder screamers: "Morrison told Motor Authority there will be performance variants of the WL generation Grand Cherokee, but they won't be powered by V-8s."

Morrison also (mostly) kiboshed the chance of the Jeep Gladiator enjoying a V8 or the some of the factory-fit off-road upgrades bestowed on the Wrangler. The Gladiators fractional sales compared to the Wrangler can't justify the development spend. Those who tow won't be sacrificed by the removal of two cylinders and the move to electrification, either. MA said Morrison revealed, "We might have a different solution for them (those who tow), though." Check out Motor Authority for the Jeep goss.

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