Jeep Cherokee SRT 'Red Vapor' launched

Just in case you were worried everything is turning hybrid and EV...

File this one under 'guilty pleasures'. Yes, it's a Jeep and, yes, the name is spelt incorrectly but it also has a 465hp Hemi V8 and will do 160mph.

Believe it or not, there is actually a Grand Cherokee SRT8 already for sale in the UK. Nope, not the old 6.1 that sometimes crops up in the classifieds but the new Grand with all those grille vents and 6,417cc of V8 muscle.

Well of course it ain't subtle

This Red Vapor is mechanically identical to the standard SRT8 (including 0-60 in five seconds!) but more, er, red. In the best American tradition, there are suitably powerful names for all equipment. That paint is not just red, it's Redline. It's used for body coloured parts (door handles, arch flares and sill extensions) that presumably aren't normally. And if that's a bit too much, the Red Vapor is available in Bright White and Brilliant Black. Oh. The 20-inch wheels are of 'Goliath' design.

Inside there's more red (Radar Red suede with red stitching) and a backlit steering wheel SRT badge. Nice. Perhaps the most ridiculous part of the Jeep's interior though, is the sound system. It's by Harman Kardon and uses 19 speakers with three (!) subwoofers. Should you prefer a V8 woofle to accompany your journey, that system uses Active Noise Cancellation to "counter any low frequency engine noises".

Now of course the SRT8 Red Vapor won't sell massively over here. It's amazing that Jeep can even justify its existence. Something about that curio status makes it more appealing though. It costs £64,999 and is on sale now. Rivals? A Cayenne GTS is £72K but £65K will only buy an HSE Dynamic SDV6 Range Rover Sport. One to revisit in a few years as a Spotted perhaps.

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alexpa

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