Marking a complete reversal in design language, the new Jeep Liberty surprised the show-going press in New York, with Jeep having ditched the soft curves of the old car (sold in the UK as the Cherokee) for the blocky, square-rig look pioneered by the Jeep Commander.New ‘from the ground up’, the Liberty gets all-new independent front and rear suspension. Initially, there will be two engines to choose from in Europe, a 210bhp 3.7-litre V6 petrol and a 2.8-litre four-cylinder VW Motori turbodiesel. These can be hooked up to a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.Inside, the square-cut design theme continues, but the car's flat, upright dashboard and rather unsophisticated details and materials are unlikely to worry Land Rover and other European SUV makers with their quality.It’s not been the best time for the Chrysler Group to launch a vital new Jeep model. The Liberty unveiling at New York was ruined by a massive downpour and leaking marquee.On the same day, DaimlerChrysler chairman Dieter Zetsche finally confirmed he was looking at ways to sell-off the loss-making Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands.
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