1 Million Pentastar Engines Built Within 18 Months

It took the Chrysler Group just 18 months to produce 1 million of its 3.6-liter V-6 engines. Known as Pentastar, this V-6 found its way under the hood of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee first and has since spread to its minivans, to its full-size sedans and is now found in 11 different models. Pentastar was developed to replace Chrysler’s other six cylinder engines, thus its widespread use.
Two Factories
The engine is produced at two factories including Trenton South in Michigan. Those workers marked the occasion with a photo session and a general announcement by Chrysler. Pentastar is also built at a plant in Saltillo, Mexico.
“The Pentastar engine is a cornerstone of Chrysler Group’s effort to reinvent its business model with world class quality products. This award-winning engine is proof that the Company is transforming its products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Brian Harlow, Vice President, Head of Powertrain Manufacturing, Chrysler Group LLC. “To build one million of anything, and in an impressively short amount of time, is a significant achievement. But to do it with such a high degree of quality is a testament to our skilled and dedicated workforce at both Trenton South and Saltillo engine plants.”
Versatile Engine
Pentastar is versatile and can be used in front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive models. It is rated at 283 horsepower in front-wheel-drive models such as the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and as high as 305 horsepower in the Dodge Challenger. For 2012, this engine is now standard in the Jeep Wrangler where it is rated at 285 horsepower. That’s a 40 percent improvement in horsepower and a 10 percent jump in torque over the 2011 model which was powered by a 3.8-liter V-6. Gas mileage is up to from last year’s 15 mpg city, 19 mpg highway to this year’s 17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway. Regular grade gasoline or an ethanol blend can be used in vehicles equipped with this motor.
Ward’s Automotive magazine once again listed Pentastar as one of its “10 Best Engines” for the year. Although usually paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, select Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger models will include an 8-speed automatic transmission licensed from ZF. Those cars are rated at 31 mpg, delivering best in class fuel economy among full size sedans.
Engine Replacement
Chrysler also noted that Pentastar has already replaced six of its legacy V-6 engines ranging in size from 2.7-liters up to 4.0-liters. Significantly, the new engine has allowed Chrysler’s powertrain department to reduce major engine components from 189 parts to just 32, greatly simplifying the build process, improving quality and saving the automaker money.
Photo: Chrysler Group, LLC




