Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 gets Ferrari treatment for Formula One team

Two 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8s made an appearance in Italy on Thursday as the keys were handed over to Formula One drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso. That's just another perk of working for a company that owns both Ferrari and Chrysler.

The Jeeps are painted in Rosso Corsa, which translates to Racing Red, Ferrari's signature color. The seven-slot Jeep grille is finished in matte black with red custom inserts. An offset black stripe goes from bumper to bumper, and the mirrors are housed in carbon fiber. The rear light bar is done in gloss black with red accents around the Jeep logo. The Italian flag is painted on the underside of the rear spoiler, a tribute to the Ferrari F150th Italia F1 car.

The Jeeps ride on 20-inch wheels painted black while the entire vehicle sits 1.5 inches lower than the standard SUV.

The interior of the Jeep gets Ferrari red leather inserts on seats with bolsters. The door-trim panels, the central armrest and the instrument panel get red leather trim as well. Red contrasting stitching adorns the steering wheel that has paddle shifters.

“We know that both Fernando and Felipe will feel right at home in our ultimate performance SUVs that are identically built with classic Ferrari styling cues and one-of-a-kind Rosso Corsa exteriors,” Beth Paretta, director of marketing and operations for SRT, said in a statement. “The Grand Cherokee SRT8 brings a combination of Jeep's world-class capability to the road or the racetrack, along with unparalleled luxury and refinement for all driving enthusiasts.”

The Ferrari-inspired Grand Cherokee keeps the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 from the standard car, with 470 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. Currently, Chrysler has no plans to offer this package to the public, but deliveries of the standard SRT8 to European buyers will begin in May.

By Jake Lingeman