Auto Industry News: Jeep Unveils 2022 Grand Cherokee, Overland Expo East Wraps Up, Tesla Sells Lots of EVs, and GM Faces the (Possible) End of An Era

Despite tangled supply chains, rising prices and parts and worker shortages, the auto industry keeps chugging along. Last week, Jeep unveiled all-new 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe and Trailhawk models – blending capability and luxury into fresh-looking packages. Tesla exceeded expectations with some truly impressive Q3 numbers, while also announcing its intentions to up and move its headquarters to Texas. Over at GM, third quarter sales were less kind. There’s a good chance 2021 will be a dark year for the legacy automaker. Thanks to the ongoing chip fiasco, GM may see an end to its nine-decade run of sales dominance.

But first, The Engine Block has highlights on enthusiast events old and new.

Enthusiast Events Are in Full Swing Nationwide

Plenty of exciting events remain on the schedule – here are a few that caught our eye recently!

American Speed Festival

The all-new American Speed Festival was a hit for both competitors and attendees. The three-day festival occurred at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Mich., on Oct. 1-3 and played host to more than 100 racecars in seven classes and 120 years of racing. The event went off without a hitch and didn’t encounter the same weather issues like Motor Bella, which took place a couple weeks prior at the concourse and had to navigate some heavy rains.

Turnout was strong too, with sold-out crowds for the Checkered Flag Ball and vintage cars running the course, including a set of four Chaparral race cars from Texan speed king Jim Hall. Organizers also recognized Hall with a Master of Motorsports award for his innovations and design in the racing world.

Organizers handed out 11 special awards in categories like Best Indy Car, Best Stock Car, and Best Super Car. The award-winning cars ranged from American staples like the Kyle Petty #42 NASCAR Pontiac (Best Stock Car) to international superstars like a 2020 Ferrari 488 Challenge EVO (Best Super Car).

If you missed this year’s inaugural event, don’t worry! The festival returns to the M1 Concourse next year Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

Overland Expo East

Off-road and off-grid fans, unite. (Literally!) The Overland Expo East wrapped up on Sunday, drawing thousands of fans and hundreds of campers Oak Ridge Estates, the first-time site of the Arrington, Virginia event.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Overland Expo East featured more than 200 exhibitors, camping accommodations, educational classes, and community events like raffles and happy hour. The expos serve as a fun and exciting way for overlanders to get a glimpse at the newest and shiniest in off-road vehicles and tech, plus training and how-tos about living and traveling off-grid.

In addition to fan-favorite aftermarket manufacturers like Yakima, Rhino-Rack, REDARC, WARN, and Dometic, automakers make an appearance too. This year, Ford revealed its Expedition Timberline Off-Grid concept. Outfitted for camping, the vehicle sports a roof-mounted tent, portable privacy room shower, and a trailer with a stove and a sink, as well as rugged-and-ready mechanical upgrades like Fox Performance shocks, two extra inches of ground clearance, and 35-inch General Grabber tires.

Texas NHRA Fall Nationals

Also occurring this past weekend was the NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. This was the 17th event of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the fourth of the Countdown to the Championship.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley upset points leader and world champ Steve Torrence by a mere .005-second for his second victory in the class.

In Funny Car, Ron Capps secured a crucial points victory, beating out teammate Matt Hagan on a holeshot in the final round. This is his second win of the season and 68th of his career.

In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson celebrated an expanded points lead, as well his 98th career win. The victory made history, as Anderson is now the winningest Pro Stock driver – officially surpassing his mentor Warren Johnson.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith raced his way from third to first place, collected his fifth win of the season, and retook the points lead.

Head over to NHRA’s site for a full run-down of all the thrills and spills at this year’s Fall Nationals.

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Revealed

Last week, Jeep pulled the covers off its all-new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee, including the first plug-in hybrid electric 4xe version, as well as a new off-road-ready Trailhawk. The automaker considers this fifth-generation of its heralded SUV to be the most technologically advanced, 4×4-capable, and luxurious Grand Cherokee yet.

The 2022 lineup features all-new exterior and interior upgrades, plus a bevy of performance-related tweaks and infotainment changes. A far cry from the analog radio knobs and roll-down windows of yesteryear, the new Grand Cherokee’s interior boasts everything from front and passenger back seat massage and built-in FireTV to 10.1-inch digital screens and an updated center console with updated switches and more space. (Not to mention the full suite of customizable LED lighting that sits on-board.)

The Grand Cherokee’s outside changes serve form and function. The lower roofline improves fuel efficiency and on-road performance, while the larger glass windshield offers both better visibility and extra light in the cabin. Other updates include a longer front end with more level hood, active grille shutters, front-wheel spats, air curtains, rear spoilers, and eight different wheel options.

High Tech Meets Hybrid

The 2022 Grand Cherokee is the second vehicle in the Jeep lineup to feature hybrid technology, joining the 2021 Wrangler 4xe. On this SUV, the 4xe PHEV is a powertrain option on the Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit and Summit Reserve models, rather than a single trim.

With an estimated 25 miles (40 km) of all-electric range and 57 MPGe, Jeep estimates the Grand Cherokee 4xe’s range at 440 miles. That’s a steep number for an electric hybrid! There’s a 400-volt, 17kWh EV battery for the juice, but Jeep packaged it under the floor with protective skid plates, unlike some other PHEVs. Jeep also made it easy for drivers to switch between powertrains with its E Selec modes. Drivers can alternate between hybrid, electric, and eSave (prioritizes the engine, saves battery charge for later use) with a set of buttons on the instrument panel near the left-hand side of the steering wheel.

Power-wise, the hybrid carries 375 hp and 470 lb.-ft. All models come standard with the familiar all-aluminum 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine. On Overland, Trailhawk, Summit, and Summit Reserve trims, buyers can upgrade to an optional 5.7-liter V8.

Keeping weekend warriors in mind, Jeep added a Quadra Trac II 4×4 system with a two-speed transfer case and 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio, plus a 47.4:1 crawl ratio. And, for drivers who like to haul their toys with them to the lake, woods, or desert, the 4xe offers 6,000-lbs (2,720 kg) max towing capability.

Trail-Ready

Those wishing to head further off-road will find the Trailhawk version more than ready of tackling adventure. In fact, Jeep has bumped up capability.

In addition to all-terrain tires, an off-road camera, and Quadra-Lift air suspension, the new Grand Cherokee Trailhawk also sports increased ground clearance (11.3-inches) and deeper water fording capability (24-inches) as well as improved approach, departure and breakover angles. High-strength steel skid plates and red tow hooks add more functionality – and rugged design.

One of the more significant changes for 2022 is a new sway bar disconnect to improve articulation and traction. Also new is a front-axle disconnect, which automatically switches the Grand Cherokee into two-wheel drive when 4WD is not required, reducing drag on the driveline and improving fuel economy.

Jeep says the new Grand Cherokee will hit dealerships in North America in the fourth quarter of 2021. The 4xe is expected to arrive in North America early in 2022.

Another Stellantis badge – Alfa Romeo – reported last week its intention to launch a new model every year until 2026. According to Motor Authority, this puts at least four new vehicles in Alfa Romeo’s lineup, which today in the U.S. consists of just the Giulia and Stelvio, by 2026. Read more here.

The Chip Fiasco May Dethrone GM

It wouldn’t be much of an Auto News report without an update on the microchip fiasco, right? Well, this week, it looks like GM might finally end its nine-decade-long streak of domestic sales dominance. That’s thanks in part to the global chip shortage.

GM execs reportedly said they believe the third quarter was “the worst of the crisis” for the automaker, as it saw many of its North American plants shut down due to supply chain constraints. While lines are set to resume production this week, there remains an undeniable backlog.

According to Automotive News, Toyota Motor North America sold more new vehicles than GM for a second consecutive quarter – marking the Japanese automaker as a potential new sales king. Toyota also saw a modest year-over-year increase in Q3, compared to GM’s lowest three-month total since the 2009 recession. Upon entering Q4, the Detroit darling trailed Toyota by about 90,000 light vehicles, the publication reports.

Worth noting is that Toyota was battling its own downturn during this time. In August, the automaker announced plans to slash production through the end of September with an estimated loss of about 360,000 new cars.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the legacy automaker.

Last week, GM announced plans to source 100% renewable energy to power its U.S. sites by 2025. That’s five years earlier than the manufacturer initially announced and 25 years ahead of its initial target set back in 2016. GM says the goal of moving up the timeline is to avoid 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions that would have been produced between 2025 and 2030.

Earlier this year, GM unveiled its Science Based Targets and said it plans to become carbon neutral with its products and operations by 2040. That plan includes eliminating tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035. The company also committed to a $35 billion investment in electric and autonomous vehicles and plans to introduce more than 30 electric vehicle models globally by 2025.

In tandem with its goals, GM aims to track real-time carbon emissions at its facilities in order to make strategic decisions about energy use.  Eventually, the automaker said it hopes to use this technology to track carbon emissions related to customers’ EVs.

It also appears GM and Ford put their War of Words to rest. In a statement to Detroit Free Press on Oct. 3, GM said it is wrapping up the lawsuit it lobbed against Ford for allegedly co-opting the company’s Cruise brand name for its own self-driving tech. GM noted the lawsuit was “resolved amicably” but shared no financial details. Ford said it would share more information soon “about BlueCruise technology” coming to new vehicles… so we’re guessing that means they’re sticking with the name.

Tesla Sails Ahead of Q3 Expectations

In the “love ’em or hate ’em” category, Tesla is sailing ahead when compared to some larger automakers’ woes.

The EV leader exceeded expectations for Q3 deliveries, with a reported 241,300 vehicles shipped June 1- Sept. 30. Analysts originally forecasted a range of 220,900-227,000 vehicles. Additionally, those Q3 delivery numbers are up significantly from 2020’s numbers (139,593).

While Tesla saw challenges thanks to global supply chain ripples and fallout from COVID, it has a couple aces in its pockets that helped push the company through the past year. These include building cars at only two plants—Fremont, Calif., and Shanghai, China (which simplifies the supply chain)—and efforts to rewrite software. The company started using different chips, so it doesn’t need to rely on the same chip supply other automakers need.

In other recent Tesla news, CEO Elon Musk announced last week he will move his company’s headquarters from Palo Alto, California to Austin, Texas. The announcement came during a shareholder meeting, at which Musk cited affordability, space and convenience as some of the reasons behind the move. He insists Tesla will continue to expand in California.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to tune in Friday for a complete rundown on the exciting new Nissan Frontier.