Last month, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced a $75 million investment into their Trenton Engine Complex to build a new four-cylinder engine. Automotive News has learned some details about this new engine and where it could end up.

 

According to a source, the new four-cylinder is codenamed Hurricane and it will be a turbocharged 2.0L. The engine will feature direct-injection and a twin-scroll turbocharger. Hurricane is expected to produce almost 300 horsepower.

 

This seems like a perfect engine to drop into a hot version of a compact model, but Automotive News says this engine will likely appear in the next-generation Wrangler. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne has hinted the Wrangler would have the option of a four-cylinder paired with a new eight-speed automatic. This would likely improve the current Wrangler's fuel economy of 17 City/21 Highway with the current 3.6L V6 and five-speed automatic.

 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)
Pic Credit: William Maley for Cheers & Gears

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This would be a good start for the updated Wrangler, but then they should also have a Turbo V6 to have a performance model like all the other products.

So will the new base engine be a downsized 3.2L Pentastar to give more separation to the 300 hp 2.0T? I can't imagine people wanting to upgrade from a stout, smooth 300 horsepower V6 to a 300 horsepower 4-cylinder, regardless of torque or FE advantage.

So will the new base engine be a downsized 3.2L Pentastar to give more separation to the 300 hp 2.0T? I can't imagine people wanting to upgrade from a stout, smooth 300 horsepower V6 to a 300 horsepower 4-cylinder, regardless of torque or FE advantage.

All that is anyone is certain is that the Wrangler will have a revised Pentastar V6. I don't know if it's going to be the 3.2 or 3.6L. 

Won't the Wrangler also have a new transmission?

 

Anyways, I guess refinement of the engine need not be an issue given the intended purpose of the vehicle.

Won't the Wrangler also have a new transmission?

 

Anyways, I guess refinement of the engine need not be an issue given the intended purpose of the vehicle.

 

Yes, a new eight-speed automatic. It is badly needed. I drove the Wrangler seen in the picture and got 16.7 MPG for the week. I wonder how much the eight-speed would have improved it.

The other side of the coin is this: we've seen 4-cylinder turbos come out of Fiat with underwhelming results before. Their 1.4T was rated 160 hp/184 tq and many of the cars using it can barely get out of their own way. I recall a Dart 1.4T with an automatic transmission testing slower than a Cruze automatic with 138 horsepower/148 lb-ft, and the cars were close enough in weight not to make a difference.

 

Is this "hurricane" 4-cylinder going to make real power or spec sheet power?

I said a while ago that they need a 4-cylinder Wrangler.  This was more horsepower than I was expecting.  I think they need a base 4 cylinder with like 200 hp (for 2 door models), but the Wrangler also needs to lose some weight and size.   In the 70s, 80s, 90s, there was always an entry level Wrangler, now it is like a $30k base model with a 280 hp V6.  They priced a lot of former fans out of the market I think.

Is it a shared engine from Alfa?

Is it a shared engine from Alfa?

 

Don't know.

Normally I'd be like... boosted four cylinder in a Wrangler....NEVARRRR!!!

 

But if some guy from Ferrari, becuz Sergio put the head of Ferrari powertrains to be head of Alfa powertrains....jeezus, Ferrari engines in a Jeep? A Wrangler of them all? Why not?!!!

I said a while ago that they need a 4-cylinder Wrangler.  This was more horsepower than I was expecting.  I think they need a base 4 cylinder with like 200 hp (for 2 door models), but the Wrangler also needs to lose some weight and size.   In the 70s, 80s, 90s, there was always an entry level Wrangler, now it is like a $30k base model with a 280 hp V6.  They priced a lot of former fans out of the market I think.

Base Wralgler starts at 24k and I too thought the 4 would have been more a 200hp/tq type of engine and then 300ish for the v6.

Also, the next gen wrangler is supposed to be aluminum so it will be losing weight as well because i also agree that it needed a diet or something to be able to comply with the ole CAFE. And aluminum and whatever high gear ratio tranny should help a fair amount.

I am pretty sure MacGyver's Jeep wasn't nearly as big as todays or needed that much power.  I just looked up a late 80s Wrangler, they were 153 inches long and 2,850 to 3,241 lbs.  Base 4 cylinder and the straight six optional.  Today's Wrangler is 3,700-4,400 lbs.  It gained like 1,000 lbs, meaning you have to put a V6 in, up the cost.  But it is more popular than ever so maybe people want bigger.

Wrangler or not, this Turbo-4 is badly needed by FCA across the lineup.  With those kind of power numbers, I bet we'll see it in a host of products including the Charger, and Cherokee, and possibly even the Pacifica.