Jeep’s diesel lineup is expanding as the
company has introduced the 2021 Gladiator EcoDiesel. Set to arrive at U.S.
dealerships in the third quarter, the 2021 Gladiator will offer a new 3.0-liter
V6 EcoDiesel engine that produces 260 hp and 599
Nm of torque.
The engine features stop/start technology
and promises “superb fuel economy and minimal levels of noise, vibration and
harshness.” It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission that has
been “calibrated for low RPM shifts and the on- and off-road rigors of Jeep
Gladiator duty.” The diesel engine will be offered on Sport, Overland and
Rubicon variants. They’ll come equipped with Dana 44 axles, four-wheel drive
and a Rock-Trac or Command-Trac transfer case.
The engine carries over from the Wrangler
and features a water-cooled turbocharger with a variable geometry turbine. It
also boasts a forged steel crankshaft, aluminum alloy pistons and a 16.5:1
compression ratio. The engine also has a “compacted graphite iron” block which
is lighter than a traditional cast iron design.
Jeep didn’t reveal much else about the
model, but the Gladiator EcoDiesel has a 5.1 gallon (19.3 liter) diesel exhaust
fluid tank and it should only need to be refilled every 10,000 miles (16,093 km)
or so. Of course, its status can be monitored by a new gauge in the instrument
cluster. Jeep didn’t mention pricing but, in the Wrangler, the engine costs US$ 4,000 and the mandatory eight-speed automatic tacks on an additional US$ 2,000.
If the same holds true to the Gladiator EcoDiesel, you’re looking at a base
price of roughly US$ 40,000. Regardless,
the model is currently available to order.
