One drawback to an engine with this much power is less-than-exciting gas mileage. The dual exhausts that exit in the center of the rear fascia not only look cool, but they emit a lovely burble that is loud enough to be enjoyable yet not all all intrusive after hours at highway speeds. This brute has a wonderful sound and even more satisfying manners. The 6.1-liter version of the Hemi is the same engine used in the Chrysler 300 SRT8 and Dodge Magnum SRT8. That’s thousands less than its European competitors. Huge Brembo brakes, a deep front spoiler and bucket seats complete the transformation from standard Grand Cherokee to SRT8.īest of all, the SRT8 has a base price of $39,995, and the nicely optioned test car still only listed for $45,630. The SRT8 felt more like a car from its sister company Mercedes-Benz than a Jeep. The suspension was firm without the kind of harshness one expects from 20-inch wheels and a low-to-the-ground stance. Zinging down the interstate or roaming back-country two lanes, the SRT8 felt as solid as if it were carved from a billet of aluminum. So the power was a given, but the road holding, and ride quality, was not at all what I expected. Jeep says the SRT8 hits 60 miles per hour in less than five seconds, and that makes the SRT8 quicker than a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or a BMW X5. Of course I expected the 420-horsepower Hemi V-8 to be a giggle, but I was totally surprised by its ability to unload its power in such a sophisticated way. What I discovered is that the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is not a four-wheeled caricature, but a delightfully impressive road car of the first magnitude. Driving the Grand Cherokee SRT8 for 800 miles in three days, however, really opened my eyes. I thought a hot rod Jeep Grand Cherokee would be a bit like the Dodge Ram SRT10 – power overkill just for the heck of it.
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