Global car giant Stellantis is due to reveal its long-rumoured twin-turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine at the New York Auto Show in April – set to power the next-generation of Jeep SUVs and Ram pick-ups, as a companion to the trusty ‘Hemi’ V8.
In development since 2017, the new inline six-cylinder engine (rather than a V6) is known internally as the GMET6, or ‘Tornado’.
It is a 3.0-litre unit with two turbochargers, and has been seen on multiple occasions in patent filings and leaked details published by Jeep and Ram’s parent company Stellantis.
Previously rumoured to launch in its first vehicle in mid-2022, US website Autoblog reports the new engine may make its debut at the New York motor show in late April – following a cryptic clue from Jeep boss Jim Morrison, replying “Are you coming to New York?” when asked for an update on six-cylinder plans.
Overseas reports suggest the new twin-turbo inline-six will eventually become available in the latest ‘DT’ Ram pick-up range, in addition to the Jeep Wrangler four-wheel-drive, Gladiator ute, Grand Cherokee large SUV, and the US-market Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer luxury SUV twins.
It is unclear if Ram Trucks Australia would introduce the twin-turbo six-cylinder engine locally, given the investment required to engineer a conversion program for the inline-six for right-hand-drive locally. For now, Australian emissions regulations are yet to force V8s out of showrooms.
While the new inline-six is slated to offer power and torque outputs equivalent to a V8 – with reduced fuel consumption and emissions – it’s not expected to replace the V8 entirely – at least initially, in the US and Australia.
The inline-six engine may find its way into a factory-built right-hand-drive vehicle, in the form of a future Jeep Grand Cherokee, Wrangler or Gladiator model – vehicles currently sold (or soon to be introduced) with 3.6-litre petrol V6 engines in Australia.
Overseas reports claim the new twin-turbo inline-six engine will be available in three states of tune overseas: a standard version, a high-output variant, and a third iteration with plug-in hybrid technology, with outputs to reportedly be as rated as high as 392kW, and no more than 750Nm.
Those outputs would place Jeep, Dodge and Ram’s 5.7-litre and 6.4-litre petrol ‘Hemi’ V8s in the firing line, which offer up to 295kW/556Nm and 362kW/644Nm respectively in their most powerful guises overseas.
Stay tuned to Drive for more details on the Stellantis group’s new inline-six engine, as its rumoured New York motor show debut in late April 2022 approaches.
Keyword: Jeep and Ram twin-turbo six-cylinder to be unveiled in April – report