Car news, 20 May ’24: Jeep slashes Grand Cherokee prices in Australia, Kia Tasman could get Stinger’s V6, and more

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Thanks for joining us this Monday 20th May 2024. Notably in car news today: Jeep has slashed prices for its Grand Cherokee large SUV by up to 23 percent in Australia, and the upcoming Kia Tasman ute could get the Kia Stinger’s hi-po turbo V6 heart.

Browse this issue:

• Jeep slashes Grand Cherokee pricing by up to 23 percent 
• Kia Tasman could get Stinger twin-turbo V6 engine to battle Ranger Raptor
• Chevrolet not planning to build next Camaro into an electric SUV 
• Ford could be working on a four-door Mustang coupe: report 
• Reviewed: 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate

Jeep slashes Grand Cherokee prices by up to 23%

• Jeep has announced significant price cuts for its Grand Cherokee large SUV range by between 14 and 23 percent depending on grade.

• The changes – which now apply to model year 2023 vehicles – will see the cost of entry decrease from $77,950 for the entry-grade Night Eagle five-seater variant to $65,450 before on-road costs, with the seven-seat equivalent variant also down by $13,300 to a new asking price of $69,450.

• The mid-spec Limited, now priced at $72,950 for the five-seater (down $11,000) and $79,950 for the seven-seater (down $12,800).

• At the higher end of the lineup, the price drops are even more significant with the Overland spec down by just over $20,000 for both five- and seven-seaters, now priced at $77,950 and $81,950 respectively.

• Meanwhile, the Summit Reserve 4XE plug-in hybrid is down $18,500 to $111,450 before on-road costs, while the biggest decrease is saved for the seven-seat Summit Reserve which has dropped $28,000 from $119,450 to $91,450.

• The move by Stellantis comes as Jeep struggles to sell its Grand Cherokee in big numbers. Just 254 examples have been sold so far in 2024, which is significantly down when compared to the BMW X5 (906 units), Land Rover Defender (830 units), Mercedes-Benz GLE wagon (548 units). 

Kia Tasman could get Stinger twin-turbo V6 engine to battle Ranger Raptor

• The highly anticipated Kia Tasman ute could be getting Ford Ranger Raptor-rivalling twin-turbo V6 power if a recent report from the US proves accurate.

• According to the Korean Car Blog, recent snaps of a Tasman undergoing emissions by Kindel Auto testing in California were of a prototype vehicle fitted with the Kia Stinger performance sedan’s 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 engine. 

• So far Kia has only confirmed a single powertrain for the lineup – a development of Hyundai-Kia’s 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder ‘R-series’ turbo-diesel, tied to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic.

• While a high-performance variant has not been confirmed, Kia has previously told Chasing Cars that “every permutation and combination” of powertrain “has to be looked at and interrogated”, noting the need for a strong business case and impact of Australia’s upcoming fuel efficiency standards. 

General Motors doesn’t want the next Chevrolet Camaro to be a Mustang Mach-E rival

• General Motors wants to keep the iconic, 57-year-old Camaro badge alive, but it doesn’t necessarily want to make the model an electric SUV. 

• According to a recent story published by Motortrend, General Motors’ president Mark Reuss has openly said he wants to build an athletic and dynamic electric car with a lower, more attainable price point. 

• This is a stark contrast from work done by Ford, who has used the Mustang name to build up the stature of its Mach-E electric SUV. 

• General Motors is still likely to build a sporty SUV, but might just stay clear of badging it as a Camaro, which could help retain Camaro fans from days gone by.

• The most recent sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro ended production in December 2023, but is still seeing service in Australia’s Supercars championship. The model competed against the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger for generations. 

Ford could be working on a four-door Mustang: report 

• Ford’s chief executive officer Jim Farley has told Autocar that Ford is contemplating experimenting with different body forms, including a four door, for the Mustang nameplate in the future. 

• “There will never be room for a small, two-row Ford SUV with a Mustang badge stuck on it. But could we do other Mustang body forms – a four door or whatever … I believe we could, as long as these models have all the performance and attitude of the original,” Farley said. 

• Farley has also stated that Ford will continue to build V8s for as long as it can, but could be eventually electrified. However, Ford’s chief said that “we will never make an all-electric Mustang”.  

• This is despite the obvious fact that Ford branded its four-door Mach-E electric SUV as a Mustang product. 

• Farley has stated that the brand won’t stop with its upcoming Mustang GTD, arguably the most aggressive-looking Mustang in history. 

Reviewed: 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate 

• Chasing Cars journalist Zak Adkins’ review of the 2024 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate was published, including his thoughts and experience with Chery’s first seven-seat SUV offering.
  
• Adkins found the Chery to have a surprisingly polished and premium interior, was very competitively priced and had comfortable, settled ride quality.
  
• Things that Adkins thought could be improved were the sensitive driver monitoring system, the lack of a hybrid option and a somewhat hesitant dual-clutch automatic transmission.
  
• Overall, Adkins concluded that Chery has punched well above its weight with a competent seven-seater that is a compelling alternative to key rivals, like the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Honda CR-V.
  

READ: Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max full written review

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Tuesday 21st May at 4.30pm Sydney time.