Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (2012) to launch at Frankfurt

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 - UK bound

When Chrysler revealed the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee details for the UK back in June, we did have a moan that all we’d get was the 3.0 litre diesel. Where’s the big V8, we asked? Well, it looks like Chrysler were listening because the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is coming to Frankfurt and going on sale across Europe in 2012.

So what’s an SRT8, you might understandably ask? SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology and is Chrysler’s performance division. And whether you think a performance SUV is an oxymoron or not, what they’ve done to the Grand Cherokee is enormously appealing.

The SRT8 gets a 6.4 litre HEMI V8 with 465bhp and 465lb/ft of torque. That’s enough to propel the SRT8 to 60mph in 4.8 seconds. That’s Porsche Cayenne territory.

And the SRT8 comes well-equipped too. The auto ‘box has paddle shifters and the Quadra-Trac 4WD can shift the torque round the wheels – all of it – to find grip wherever it may be, and the adaptive suspension and five mode selec-track system tunes the SRT8 to the conditions.

The SRT8 looks the part too, with lowered suspension, sculpted bonnet with heat vents, body-coloured grill, new spoiler, new bumper and integrated diffuser. Inside there’s a new steering wheel and an SRT instrument panel, together with Nappa leather and suede trim. And the best news?

It’s likely to cost not a lot more than £50k.

(33 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK