Timing Belt Gates T199 on 2040-parts.com

Jeep Grand Cherokee to get ZF 8-speed auto ‘box

Jeep Grand Cherokee to get 8-Speed ZF Gearbox The latest version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee has only just arrived, but already Jeep are planning improvements with the confirmation that the Grand Cherokee is to get the new 8-Speed automatic gearbox from ZF. The 8-speed ZF auto ‘box should help all round with the new Grand Cherokee, which already offers the promise of an American SUV matching the expectations of European buyers and, more importantly, offering a viable alternative to the offerings in the premium SUV sector from the Germans. Not only does the new Grand Cherokee look able and promising, even with a relatively modest 3.0 litre diesel being the only engine on offer for the mainstream Grand Cherokees, but with a starting point of under £38k (and a top-end price of £44k) there’s a lot on offer.

Tomorrow's world: Ford's downsized 1.0-litre Ecoboost

Direct injection petrol and diesel, hybridisation, downsizing, turbocharging, twin-charging the list of efficiency-boosting, fuel saving features being offered in new cars is becoming so long, buying a new one is like revising for exams. Is there room for another? Apparently so, but since there’s no official name for it yet we’ll call it ‘super-downsizing’ or in other words, using a very small engine in a not so small car.

Ford Escape and Ford Focus output boosted to meet clunker demand

Ford Motor Co. is boosting third-quarter production of the Escape and Focus to replenish inventories depleted by cash-for-clunkers demand. Ford is adding another 10,000 units in the third quarter, primarily Escape and Focus, bringing planned North American production for the period up to 495,000 vehicles, up 18 percent from year-earlier levels.