The Engine Behind Chrysler’s Recovery

The millionth unit of Chrysler’s modern engine has come off the assembly line.

It is the consummate common denominator of Chrysler Group cars and even maybe a valuable contributor to the group's resurgence.You can get it under the hoods of the Jeep Wrangler, the Chrysler 200 and 300, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey, Dodge Durango, Dodge Grand Caravan and probably one or more new models coming out of, metaphorically, Auburn Hills.

This week the millionth unit of Chrysler's Pentastar engine will come off the assembly line at Trenton Engine Plant, MI.The V6 all-aluminum engine was launched only two years ago and it is currently installed in most of Chrysler Group models. According to rumors it was also marked as a future Maserati engine. Maserati is part of the Fiat Group who has a controlling stake in Chrysler Group.The intention was to manufacture the Pentastar in a few engine capacities, hp grading and various ancillaries attached to it such as superchargers.However, so far it is available only in a 3.6-liter version with 283 to 292 hp.The Pentastar is a 24-valve engine (with 4 valves for each of the 6 cylinders), fuel injected and improved efficiency of Chrysler engine by an average of 25%. Technology developed by Fiat, such as Multi-Air, direct injection and turbocharging (when it will be applied).The Pentastar has replaced seven V6 engines that Chrysler produced so it must have saved the company a lot of bucks through economies of scale, reduction in the number of parts and components and the number of assembly lines the company had to operate.