Wednesday 20th April 2011

Hot New SRT8s From Jeep And Chrysler

Latest 465hp Hemi goes into Grand Cherokee and 300

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Jeep is unleashing its fastest ever production model at the New York motor show this week - the Grand Cherokee SRT8 makes its debut with the group's new 6.4 litre Hemi V8 boasting a muscular 465hp matched by 465lb ft of torque.

Those numbers are sufficient to deliver a 0-60mph time of 4.8 seconds, and an electronically limited maximum of 155mph. The company also reckons the SRT8 is the best handling Jeep ever, as well as the fastest, which is probably just as well...

The new engine also appears in the latest Chrysler 300 SRT8 at New York - a car billed in turn as the Chrysler brand's 'most powerful and best handling ever'. The big Hemi unit was first introduced to our Yankee cousins in the limited edition Challenger SRT8 late last year.

In the Grand Cherokee SRT8, Jeep's 'sporting' intentions are implied by ride height one inch lower than standard, body colour sill and arch extensions, body colour grill and 20ins alloys with Pirelli P Zeros. Inside you get paddle-shifters on the wheel allowing a choice of (and we quote...) 'spirited shifting on the road and the race track.'

The 300 SRT8 also gets a set of 20ins alloys, and a 'meaner' grille treatment. Both cars go on sale in the US this summer, but there's no word yet on prices.

[Matt UK]

Looks very 'Audi' in this pic IMO.

[MotorsportTom]

The 300 looks like it's been taking hints from Jaguar. Well from the front view at least.

I do quite like it though!

[Tyre Smoke]

The 300 looks good, but the Jeep is just plain ugly and will never ever be a match for a RRS S/c.

[S3000]

I guess they dont care about GAS prices...

[ZeeTacoe]

I'll take the Jeep but I want the alloys off the 300.

[jbi]

Both models are huge leap forward for Chrysler both in quality and design IMO.

That new 300 wouldn't look out of place on anyone's drive

[Goodfella 555]

Both look really old fashioned and both have a certain image too IMO

[toppstuff]

Very nice. The Jeep is a good, left-field option over the usual X5, RRS etc..

If they came with a factory fitted and warranteed LPG dual-fuel system in the UK , i'd love a V8 !

[marcains]

no-body seeing what looks like copius amounts of understeer on the 300c? Best Handling.....so it's a little better than a boat....but still, i'll take one in black please.

[W00DY]

It's a shame the Jeep looks a little cheap with the tarty crap all over it. I rather like the look of the latest standard models.

[XitUp]

That Jeep looks ste.

The standard one looks so much better. As did the last SRT8.

[jbforce10]

Hopefully there will also be a Lancia-badged equivalent of the Chrysler 300 SRT8. About time lancia had a sub 6-second 0-62mph car on the market again!

[LuS1fer]

At last, a Jeep that wasn't designed using a ruler and a guide dog. I quite like that. I also quite like that 300 even though I think the restyle was worse than the original, that salvages it a bit. Seems subtlety crept into the design brief. Viva Italia.

[Johnspex]

marcains said:

no-body seeing what looks like copius amounts of understeer on the 300c? Best Handling.....so it's a little better than a boat....but still, i'll take one in black please.

I don't see how that can be understeer as there doesn't appear to be a driver in it.

[Scuffers]

Co2/km anyone?

[appletonn]

Johnspex said:

marcains said:

no-body seeing what looks like copius amounts of understeer on the 300c? Best Handling.....so it's a little better than a boat....but still, i'll take one in black please.

I don't see how that can be understeer as there doesn't appear to be a driver in it.

That's what i was thinking - it's parked!!!

[Waugh-terfall]

ZeeTacoe said:

I'll take the Jeep but I want the alloys off the 300.

Snap! Yum yum bloody yum!

It's already in stone, when I finish Uni, I'm heading to Cali and hiring something mad with a crazy-big V8, whilst I still can, and just because I can.

[PeXy]

appletonn said:

Johnspex said:

marcains said:

no-body seeing what looks like copius amounts of understeer on the 300c? Best Handling.....so it's a little better than a boat....but still, i'll take one in black please.

I don't see how that can be understeer as there doesn't appear to be a driver in it.

That's what i was thinking - it's parked!!!

Point and laugh .....

[buster1984]

S3000 said:

I guess they dont care about GAS prices...

They pay less for a gallon than we do for a ltr!!! i love the look of that jeep. id have one.

[EDLT]

The Jeep looks like it's been styled by some aftermarket tat company. Which is a shame because fast 4x4s are just a brilliant idea.