Topgear News
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8
Posted on December 16, 2005 @ 10:46 am
A Jeep Grand Cherokee that won’t go off-road sounds about as likely as one which is capable of outrunning a Porsche. But that’s what the legendary American firm is promising to launch next year.
The sensational new Grand Cherokee SRT-8 not only has limited ability in the rough stuff, but is staking a claim to be the fastest 4×4 in the world.
At £40,000, the 6.1-litre V8 costs around half as much as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. It might sound like an unusual creation for an American maker renowned for its models’ all-terrain ability, rather than their outrageous speed, but on paper the SRT-8 is quicker from 0-60mph than the flagship Cayenne.
Auto Express was the first magazine to put these amazing claims to the test. Although the SRT-8’s top speed is electronically limited to 155mph, parent firm Chrysler says a desresticted version of the V8-engined machine can eclipse the Porsche’s 165mph maximum by 5mph.
The remarkable turn of speed comes as a result of boosting the capacity of the 5.7-litre HEMI engine up to 6.1 litres. This liberates 27 per cent more power from the unit, and increases its output from 330bhp to 420bhp.
But the engineers from Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) tuning division responsible for the new Grand Cherokee haven’t only concentrated on performance - they’ve also improved the driving experience. The traction control has been reprogrammed so it doesn’t intervene as soon as before, or you can choose to switch it off.
Predictably, the car is very fast in a straight line, and sounds incredible, too. The monstrous machine is every bit as intimidating as you might imagine.
We also found the SRT-8 extremely entertaining through tight corners. This is because the 4×4 transmission has been redesigned, and a new lightweight transfer box channels 90 per cent of the power to the rear wheels.
To keep this under control in slippery conditions, sensors measure the lateral G-force, throttle angle and steering wheel inputs to moderate torque front to back, and send power to the front wheels if the rears start to spin.
Even so, the car needs to be treated with respect, and pressing the throttle too hard can cause it to head for the horizon with alarming speed. But once you’ve got over the mighty engine and its menacing growl, the vast improvement in driveability is clear. Particularly impressive is how much better the steering is over the standard car’s. It’s more precise and, thanks to a new suspension system, more responsive, too.
Nevertheless, the Grand Cherokee is a big vehicle, and when the four-piston Brembo brakes are applied the nose noticeably dives towards the tarmac.
To counter this, the car rides an inch lower - which bosses at SRT admit has robbed this Jeep of its off-road ability. Extra cooling ducts for the engine and brakes add to the sporty impression, and the car easily matches the Cayenne Turbo for brutish looks.
Probably its meanest angle is from the rear, where two four-inch exhausts poke through the valance. It’s a view a lot of motorists will get of the SRT-8.
(this article was taken from autoexpress.co.uk)
December 19th, 2005 at 10:49 am
Quite who they are aiming this beast at is a little unclear to me. At £40,000 it’s not too expensive but who the hell is going to want to drive around in a 6.1 liter car with petrol prices in the UK?
January 6th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
i would have the new jeep it is one of the best low costing cars i have ever see, phil.
January 15th, 2006 at 9:30 am
Sounds great as an ex TVR driver reduced to
a Jeep CRD, its everyhting I want. Order
has been placed:)
January 30th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
The jeep is stunning
April 24th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Well, I get such a poor service from Stratstone Service Centre Technicians at Doncaster, I am going to sell my New Shape Range Rover to get one of these. The Supercharged Range Rover (Not Sport) is £73,000 and it’s much slower so, that just makes the Range Rover an overpriced unreliable vehicle with appaling Technicians who can’t even tighten standard nuts and bolts up properly. Land Roaver, watch this space!!!
June 19th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
I am !!
Sold my TVR Cerbera 4.5V8, and my 2003 4.5 Grand Cherokee,
due to collect the SRT next week.
Dealer rang today, its there , the salesman was posativley drooling !!
August 20th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Was considering the Range Rover S’charged at £73,000 before I found out about this beastie last Monday. Had a test drive on Thursday (not many about!) - now taking delivery 1st week Sept. The Rangie is much better finished inside but the SRT-8 just sounds amazing and is a LOT quicker off the mark. No contest.
October 31st, 2006 at 3:27 pm
Portia : too dear and ugly
Range Rover : Poor performance from low bhp engines
Jepp SRT8 A must have the only other car with this go for the money is a Vauhall Monaro 500!!
July 15th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Got one last year every day is a fun day no points yet!!!!
August 1st, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Just ordered my SRT8 today, purely from an environmentally friendly stand point.
1) I work in the City and will be taking the SRT8 into town most days, I figure the heat from those mother exhausts will melt the Marylebone Road, thus keeping it smooth. This then results in the local borough councils not having to spend money on sending smelly old tar lorries into London to fix the roads. May I suggest they then take the money my SRT8 has saved them and buy lots of trees which can be planted in and around the City!
2) With the SRT8’s set of Brembo brakes I now have the ability to stop a 2 ton beast on a pound coin. So while the chav types who cannot be bothered to get their cars insured or serviced are running down dears, rabbits and badgers, my SRT8 will be able to stop in time to enable me to exit the vehicle, pick the little fury chutties up and place them back in a safe place.
It makes me glow inside that I’m doing my bit for the environment and at the same time being able to achieve time travel when going from 0-60mph!!
October 14th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I too fancied the range rover sport, i have a 4.7L gc at the mo, but came across the srt8… it’s ordered and i’ll collect it in 2 weeks….can’t wait.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Had mine on order for 14 months when they announced a UK model. Got the first one registered here, did 1000 miles and went to Santa Pod. Pulled a 13.3 sec quarter! Im sure it gets quicker as the miles go on!? Shame about the UK spec wheels though (only 8″ wide and painted)now have the US 10″ polished wheels fitted….looks tons better!!
December 8th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
I’ve got a Range Rover Vogue at the mo but the SRT8 looks even better, more sporty and with the 20″ alloys looks awesome. I’ve never seen an SRT8 in the flesh in Lancashire and Vogue’s are getting more common by the day which is partly why I want to change. Just wondered if anyone had gone for the SRT8 and what their thoughts were? Is it really as gas-guzzling as some make it out to be? At £40K though it’s bit of a snip which would allow you to cover the extra fuel cost.
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:00 am
Just been reading through the SRT8 comments - this is an awesome motor, excellent valve and a real goer.
However the fuel costs are a real turn off….or are they ??? MY Jeep runs on LPG I’M paying 45.8p per litre thats nearly 28 mpg in money term’s - it kind of gives you a smug feeling every time you fill up.
Give the guy’s @ Pemco Pitstop a ring on 01935 415512 you might be surprised at the results.
December 30th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Just had a test drive in the SRT8 and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a good feeling the way it drops into its suspension when you accelerate and brake. Can pick one up for about 20K GBP 2nd here in Dubai and a full tank costs 12 quid. Apparently heavy use will destroy the transmission and diffs fairly quickly.
February 17th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I ve had one for a year now - don’t pay for my own petrol as it goes through the company, otherwise would nt have one. Can describe it in one word “AWESOME!!”. Beat a DB7 in a race - enough said. Have seen one at a Stratstone dealer recently for £27k with only 7k milage so snap it up asap!!!
With regards to the environment - well I figured the UK is SO cold for most of year but with the current global warming situation we should see weather like the Coasta Del Sol in about 30 years …… I am now trying to get us there that bit quicker!!
February 18th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I’ve had my SRT8 a year this March and love the car.
The doors are a pain cos they are too springy and it won’t allow you turn the traction control fully off but hey ho.
When the traction control is on, it’s probably the best traction control, system I have even driven.
Noticed a previous comment about Santa Pod, I pulled a 1/4 mile in 13.14 and am convinced it will do it quicker, reckon it will break 13 seconds.
I have Good Year tyres on, the ones they put on in the US but I think with Pirrelli on, a softer tyre and higher octane fuel with a quarter tank, it would just do it under 13 secs.
I did the Cannonball 8000 last year and a trackday and everybody just couldn’t believe it!!
It is 100 times better and more reliable than my Range Rover was and gets far more attention…….
March 1st, 2008 at 3:54 pm
It’s cool to see that this vehicle has such a following in the UK, especially since its base price over there is exactly double what it is in the USA. And we’re freaking out about gas (errr…petrol) that’s 50p a liter! Suprisingly, people still hesitate because of its sporting nature, and low ground clearance. My friend was about to get one, but got a Commander instead, which is not as big on the inside as it looks.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
after having a CRD , then an overland , i picked up my SRT8 a fortnight ago and i am blown away, i live in scotland and have never seen one on the road. it turns heads where ever i go , and if the looks dont the growl from the awesome exhausts does, quite simply the best car ive ever had ( and ive had a few )
March 25th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
ok its a real nice jeep but in the uk i have to argree fuel is far too expensive i think on lpg it would be a great jeep, has any one done it before, also is there space in the boot for a tank perhaps where the spare wheel would be??
April 14th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Wicked Car just got a 56 plate picking it up sat :D
April 16th, 2008 at 9:40 am
No spare wheel, it’s on run flats.
If anybody wants tyres for these, I got mine from www.tirerack.com in America. They do the original size tyres and not the pencil thin ones in the UK.
Would go for Pirelli rather than Good Year as they are softer.
The problem with them is they lose too much value, mine was £41k and now it’s worth £20k in just over a year.
Crazy crazy. Gonna let mine go back to the finance company and buy one at an auction.
I still maintain, it’s the best car I have ever owned like the last guy said and I too have had a few cars.
It has everything anybody could want, well apart from the annoying heavy doors that spring back at ya ha ha.
April 23rd, 2008 at 9:59 am
I bought a 11 week old ex demonstrator and received a £10k discount. Its a much over looked gem of a vehicle with more torque than BMWs M5 tourer, twice the seats down boot space and at half the price. Not to mention the safety of the permanent 4wd, 2 tonnes of American metal around you, and the elevated driving position.
I prefer this to all the BMWs and Range Rovers I ve owned in the last 20 years!
August 24th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
ive had mine for 6 months now and it gets better every day. i have put bigger tyres on mine than the stock run flats and makes a huge difference. put in a Mopar CAI, stainless steel exhaust and removed the cats, and have had it diablo predator tuned and she goes like the wind now!! next step - SUPERCHARGER
August 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I’ve had an SRT-8 since late 2006, swapped cars with the missus’ after we had a baby in January and now drive her R32.
I have to say, while the SRT-8 puts a grin on your face every time you press hard on the loud pedal, the R32’s handling makes a much more fun car to drive.
We’re soon selling one bonkers car so we can have one sensible car in the family, and it’ll be the R32 I keep.