Second-generation engines needed as future CAFE targets loom

Chrysler‘s popular line of Pentastar V6 engines are expected to get an overhaul starting the latter half of next year as the company anticipates tighter CAFE targets.

Called the ‘Pentastar Upgrade’, the new engines will receive direct injection, turbocharging, and other technology so smaller displacement engines can power a larger swath of the Chrysler portfolio.

The first vehicle to receive the upgrade is expected to be the refreshed Jeep Grand Cherokee, the same model that debuted the 3.6L Pentastar V6 in 2011.

In early 2016, the upgraded 3.2L engine will replace the 3.6L unit in the Chrysler Town & Country. Fuel economy is expected to improve some 25 percent thanks to the new engine combined with better aerodynamics and weight reduction.

The minivan will also receive the same nine-speed transmission as in the Jeep Cherokee and Chrysler 200, opening the door for the people hauler to offer all-wheel drive.

[Source: Automotive News]