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New 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee now here

The new 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee recently launched in the US and Europe to universal acclaim from media and brand enthusiasts has arrived in Sri Lanka.

The redesigned 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee has proven to be an excellent 4x4 with a restyled interior and exterior design, five strong engine choices and features a host of innovative and premium amenities. The upgraded Grand Cherokee now comes with an extremely advanced and flexible Hill Descent Control for improved control in off-road experiences. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee also features a more fuel efficient 3.7-Litre V6 petrol that would be preferred by most Sri Lankan customers whilst the 4.7-litre V-8 engine also delivers improved fuel economy with a 30 per cent increase in horsepower and a 10 per cent increase in torque. This enhanced power output will undoubtedly improve the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s “The anywhere machine” capabilities and present an extremely responsive 4x4 with great driving pleasure.

With its upright and substantial posture, the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s design offers an athletic and contemporary appearance whilst preserving the authentic Jeep signature look. The grille has been lengthened, and the headlamps are more circular for a more dominant and expressive front view. The fog lamps have also been lowered for enhanced performance. Off-road enthusiasts will be pleased with the new two-piece front fascia, allowing the entire lower piece to be removed before hitting the off-road trails.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee includes optionally available premium amenities that are new for 2009, including the new MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System that has a built-in navigation, audio, DVD entertainment and communication system. MyGIG enables customers to use touch-screen or voice commands to control all of the features, and includes a 20-gigabyte hard drive where music and photos can be stored. There’s space reserved on the hard drive for approximately 1,600 songs; that’s over 100 hours of music also with iPod connectivity. There also is a voice-memo recorder feature.

The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the only full-size 4x4 with a choice of five engines:

* 3.7-litre V-6 petrol engine - The new, most fuel efficient Jeep Grand Cherokee

* New 4.7-litre V-8 petrol engine - Producing 300bhp

* 5.7-litre V-8 HEMI petrol engine

* 6.1-litre HEMI V-8 petrol engine - Standard on Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

* Award-winning 3.0-litre common rail diesel V-6 engine

The new 4.7L V-8 Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers 30 percent increase in horsepower, a class leading 300bhp, 10 per cent increase in torque (453 Nm) and most importantly improved fuel efficiency. The new engine incorporates two spark plugs per cylinder, increased compression ratio, improved cylinder-head port flow and revised combustion chamber, valve train and camshaft profile. A new cam design, two spark plugs per cylinder and a revised valve-lash adjuster system is also introduced to enhance the engine smoothness.

For fuel conscious users, DIMO has also imported the new 3.7L V6 Petrol Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo version delivering 204bhp at 5,200 rpm.

In addition to the above, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd comes standard with Rain sensitive wipers, Tyre pressure monitoring system, Memory system, Front & Rear Parking Sensors, Chrome body mouldings, Wood trims, Electronic Stability Program, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Sound system including DVD/ MP3, Two tone leather etc.

The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee carries on its proud tradition of style, potency and adventure while leaving plenty of room for luxury and refinement, all which has made Jeep a resounding success all over the world. “With the addition of a Jeep-engineered Hill Descent Control, a choice of five engines, three four-wheel-drive systems and more premium amenities than ever before, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee adds more capability and refinement to the benchmark full-size SUV that created the luxury SUV market when it debuted in 1992,” said Vice President, International Sales - Chrysler Group, Thomas Hausch.

Chrysler, Ford idle plants; GM halts engine factory

Chrysler LLC, awaiting a federal rescue as its cash dwindles, will shut all 30 of its plants for at least a month starting Dec. 19 as unsold cars and trucks pile up at showrooms.

Ford Motor Co. said it will idle most of its North American assembly plants for the first week of January, while General Motors Corp. said a new factory making engines for the Chevrolet Volt electric car is being delayed to conserve cash.

The cutbacks showed how far automakers are going to save money and prune output in a year in which industrywide U.S. sales are poised to fall to their lowest levels since 1991. GM and Chrysler say they may run out of operating funds in just weeks without emergency U.S. aid.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in an e-mail that “there’s nothing new on the auto front” as officials reviewed plans for a GM and Chrysler bailout. Today had been the earliest that the administration would finish a rescue proposal, a government official said yesterday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

GM, the biggest U.S. automaker, and No. 3 Chrysler have asked for a combined $14 billion in federal aid in order to survive until March 31. U.S. sales at Detroit-based GM fell 22 percent through November, while Chrysler’s tumbled 28 percent, the most among major automakers.

Members of the United Auto Workers union on temporary layoff are eligible to receive 95 percent of their usual take- home pay, from a combination of unemployment-insurance benefits and a supplement from automakers. Labor costs make up about 10 percent of the cost of producing a vehicle.

Assembly operations at Chrysler won’t resume until Jan. 19 at the earliest, the automaker said today in a statement, without specifying the size of the cut in output.

Chrysler said its two factories in Toledo, Ohio, that make the Jeep Liberty, Dodge Nitro and Jeep Wrangler won’t reopen until Jan. 26. A minivan plant in Windsor, Ontario, and the Dodge Viper operations in Detroit will be shut until Feb. 2, said Shawn Morgan, a spokeswoman for the Auburn Hills, Michigan- based automaker.

The idling of the Ford factories is part of a previously announced plan to reduce first-quarter North American production by 38 percent, to 430,000 cars and trucks, spokeswoman Angie Kozleski said in an interview. Of 15 assembly plants in the region, 9 are closing temporarily; 3 are unaffected; and 3 more are being retooled.

Ford, whose sales are down 19 percent this year, has said it isn’t seeking emergency loans.

GM indefinitely suspended work on the $370 million factory in Flint, Michigan, that will make 4-cylinder engines for the Volt and the Chevrolet Cruze small car in 2010. (Bloomberg)

People’s Merchant Bank launches leasing scheme with Unimo

Unimo Enterprises Limited a fully owned subsidiary of United Motors Lanka PLC recently launched a special Leasing Scheme for JMC single cabs through People’s Merchant Bank (PMB).

These two companies have joined hands to offer consumers tailor-made Leasing packages with added benefits in store.

This promotion has been activated islandwide through the Unimo and PMB branch network.

Customers can avail themselves of the benefits of this joint promo till end January 2009.