Wednesday 31st August 2011

Jeep SRT8 Set For European Debut

'Street-racing' SUV on its way with 470bhp and 465lb ft

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The SRT in SRT8 is supposed to stand for 'Street And Racing Technology', but we'll be as surprised as the next man to see one of these beasties turn up at a PH track day next year - except as a tow car, perhaps.

Still, we're not about to knock the specs and figures quoted for Jeep's hottest Grand Cherokee model, which is lining-up for its European debut at the Frankfurt show in a couple of weeks.

The Grand Cherokee SRT8 will be in UK dealers in the first quarter of 2012, and features active damping with five dynamic modes, 20ins alloys, and a 'race'-inspired steering wheel with flappy paddles for that 'performance-orientated' feel. Plus a veritable shedload of bells and whistles. (They tell us.)

Under the bonnet resides Chrysler's latest 6.4 litre Hemi V8, making 470hp and 465lb ft - enough to take the SRT8 from 0-62mph in 4.8secs, 0-100mph in around 16secs, and on to over 155mph. Which is quick enough to blow the doors off your supercharged Range Rover.

Prices remain to be confirmed.

[Cassius81]

Quicker than a Supercharged RR it may be, but its value will fall as fast as it accelerates.

I know where I'd put my cash... RR TDV8 or, if I really needed the performance (which I don't), a Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

[frosted]

An RR would only marginally be a better place to put your money . For that reason any new big engined car would be the same

[XitUp]

I don't like the front end of this, the previous one looked much nicer, IMO.

How well do Supercharged RRs hold their value?

[MiltonRX]

I kind of like it. Will it be sold in RHD?

[Twincam16]

Pointless. That engine should be in something lighter and more aerodynamic that can make the most of the power. It's an insult to engineering to install it in a giant brick.

[the-photographer]

Wow, just slower compared to the £85,000 Cayenne Turbo (4.7seconds)

[205007]

Haha classic replies here

noooooo you cant put a big V8 in an SUV its not aerodynamic?! - get that V8 in EVERYTHING


Better off with a diesel range rover???? WTF!

Shame on you

[Nors]

RR may well be the better car, but I would consider this if I was in the market for a big 4x4, simply because it's different and it's not a RR, they're friggin everywhere!!

[Zod]

Is it called SRT8, so that owners can prove they are not GHEY by having such a macho car?

[EDLT]

Twincam16 said:

Pointless. That engine should be in something lighter and more aerodynamic that can make the most of the power. It's an insult to engineering to install it in a giant brick.

Its not pointless. Some people don't want to buzz around in a tiny sportscar, and I think this has a 7-seat option too. Chrysler put the same V8 in all of their SRT8 cars eventually, making an engine that is suitable for more than one application is pretty clever engineering actually.

[goron59]

How do they get so little power out of such a big engine?

[Mr Gear]

Zod said:

Is it called SRT8, so that owners can prove they are not GHEY by having such a macho car?

"Yes, I've bought a huge glittery turd to take the kids to school... but at least it's the racing one!

Brummm brummmm!"

fking idiots.

[y2blade]

Mr Gear said:

Zod said:

Is it called SRT8, so that owners can prove they are not GHEY by having such a macho car?

"Yes, I've bought a huge glittery turd to take the kids to school... but at least it's the racing one!

Brummm brummmm!"

fking idiots.

[jbi]

why are people comparing this to a range rover?

completely different target markets

[Twincam16]

EDLT said:

Twincam16 said:

Pointless. That engine should be in something lighter and more aerodynamic that can make the most of the power. It's an insult to engineering to install it in a giant brick.

Its not pointless. Some people don't want to buzz around in a tiny sportscar, and I think this has a 7-seat option too. Chrysler put the same V8 in all of their SRT8 cars eventually, making an engine that is suitable for more than one application is pretty clever engineering actually.

But seriously, what's the point of that kind of acceleration in a car designed for the exact opposite? For 99.9% of buyers, the only 'advantage' of having that over the diesel is to show off to all and sundry that they can afford the fuel consumption, which is like leaving all your windows open and cranking up all your radiators as it's a bit nippy, then standing on view in your front room window wearing nothing but a pair of Speedos telling passers-by how nice and warm you are.

So like I said, pointless.

[George H]

Article said:

...enough to take the SRT8 from 0-62mph in 4.8secs, 0-100mph in around 16secs...

12.2 seconds to accelerate 38mph? That seems quite high. And my god it's ugly.

ML63 is where my money would go.

[XitUp]

goron59 said:

How do they get so little power out of such a big engine?

Yeah, 470bhp is so little...

The question you should be asking is "how does this get the same 0-60 time as my Audi :'(".

[fwaggie]

swerni said:

Cassius81 said:

Quicker than a Supercharged RR it may be, but its value will fall as fast as it accelerates.

I know where I'd put my cash... RR TDV8 or, if I really needed the performance (which I don't), a Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

I know where I'd put mine to.

A 2 year old one of these


You would have to be mental to buy a new one, but will make a great second hand buy soon enough.

This.

But it'll be more like 8 years before it's in my price bracket.

[Accumul8]

XitUp said:

Yeah, 470bhp is so little...

The question you should be asking is "how does this get the same 0-60 time as my Audi :'(".

From a 6.4...?

[Roo]

As the previous car was available as an SRT-8 it's not really a 'debut'.

Great things to drive though.