From Canwest News Service

DaimlerChrysler’s Dodge and Jeep truck divisions will expand their diesel engine offerings in 2007, with the Dodge ram pickup trucks to become the first Chrysler Group vehicles to benefit from parent company Mercedes-Benz’s ultra-clean BLUETEC diesel engine technology.

The 2007 Dodge ram 2500 and 3500 series heavy duty pickups will be fitted with a new 6.7-litre Cummins turbo diesel engine that uses a self-cleaning diesel particulate filter designed to “virtually eliminate particulate matter emissions” (aka soot) and an exhaust catalyst that the company says reduces oxides of nitrogen — known as NOx — by up to 90 per cent. The new engine replaces the 5.9-litre Cummins turbo diesel that was available in 2006 Ram 2500 and 3500 models.

It’s big news for Dodge’s heavy-duty truck lineup; the company says 80 per cent of its heavy duty pickup buyers in North America choose a diesel engine. Dodge has been using Cummins-built diesels in its full-size trucks since 1988.

Dodge isn’t leaving light-duty truck buyers out of the diesel loop, however, with plans to offer another new turbo diesel engine in its Ram 1500 truck “after 2009,” with more torque, 30 per cent better fuel consumption and a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions than a comparable gas engine.

And in March 2007, Jeep will begin selling a diesel-powered version of its Grand Cherokee model in Canada, fitted with a 3.0-litre common-rail diesel (CRD) V-6 also borrowed from Benz. While that engine’s 215 horsepower is nothing special, its 376 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm would certainly prove useful for off-roading and trailering.

Also useful is its highway fuel consumption rating of 9 L/100 km, which is about a 10 per cent improvement compared to the gasoline-powered V-6 Grand Cherokee. The diesel’s lower fuel consumption also means a highway cruising range of 725 km, according to DaimlerChrysler.

DC’s diesel lineup also includes the ultra-handy Sprinter van.