Just plain silly. But we wouldn’t want it any other way. Putting a 392 Hemi underhood and Brembos at all four corners. That’s all part of the package in the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. But wait, there’s more.
We managed to truck it over to our test track partners at Palm Beach International Raceway for an afternoon seeing to on the quarter mile. Is this a case of window dressing from Chrysler Group’s SRT division, or does the reborn Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 really deliver the goods? Follow us as we check it out.
What is it?
A five passenger mid–size SUV, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is probably one of the more notable fruits that resulted from the brief marriage between Daimler and Chrysler Corporation. Sharing the platform from Mercedes–Benz’s new M-Class has made this Grand Cherokee one of the best versions ever.
We just think it’s having a bit of an identity crisis trying to figure out if it’s a hot-rod or a Home Depot getter. Why not both?
What’s it up against?
The SRT8 matches up pretty well against BMW s X5 M, Porsche ’s Cayenne Turbo and Mercedes-Benz ’s ML63 AMG. They all happen to be within the same weight range, but the Jeep comes in a little shy in the horsepower category. But being lighter than a couple of the others does seem to count for some of this model’s success.
That it manages to sneak in for substantially less coinage makes it one of the fastest bargains on four wheels.
Any breakthroughs?
At 12-city/18-highway mpg, the Jeep SRT8 will never be considered a gas sipper. In an attempt to make the best of a not so great situation, parent Chrysler Group has equipped the 6.4-liter Hemi engine with standard fuel-saver technology and cylinder deactivation, as well as an active valve exhaust system that allows the engine’ s four–cylinder operations to kick in earlier for a nearly 13–percent increase in efficiency on the highway. Jeep is claiming an extended range of 450 miles on one tank of fuel.
But the real breakthrough occurs once you slam the skinny pedal to the floor.
How does it look?
Like a Jeep Grand Cherokee that has been hitting the gym on a regular basis. A new front fascia, with aggressive air intakes below the bumper, and LED running lights help to set off the SRT8′s leading edge. Ground effects side-sills run the length of the door area and help to join body-colored fender flares into a singular cohesive appearance.
On the backside, a rear spoiler adds downforce to the trailing edge, while four-inch exhaust dumps protrude through the rear splitter–like fascia. Set off everything with a set of four 20-inch split-spoke alloy wheels and you are looking at one bad–assed Jeep.
And on the inside?
The SRT8′s interior is an amalgam of metal, plastic, carbon fiber, leather and suede. A flat-bottomed Jeep–branded steering wheel with detents for the thumbs and paddle shift levers, to let your fingers do the walking, lead things off. A simple dual–gauge binnacle gives the driver all the pertinent info he or she needs. Our tester was equipped with Chrysler’s media center, which includes a 6.5–inch touch-screen display. A nice added touch is the one-year subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio.
The leather seats with suede microfiber inserts were nicely bolstered and kept us in place at all times. Free of fatigue, we managed to arrive at our destinations refreshed and ready to go. In fact if you do get fatigued behind the wheel of an SRT8, perhaps you shouldn’t be behind the wheel of it in the first place. A
nd just in case you happen to forget where you are, large SRT8 embroidery on the seats gives you a quick reminder. The 60-40 rear split seats offered plenty of legroom for adults and children, alike, and also offered a 110-volt household plug to charge computers, cell phones, Mr. Coffee, etc., while on the road.
We especially liked the attention to detail vis-Ã -vis the four metal runners on the cargo area floor.
Compared to the previous Grand Cherokee SRT8, this interior feels like it could have come from the Bentley studios. It’s that good.
But does it go?
Like lightning. Call it the Flying Brick, if you like, but an SUV doesn’t normally move this quickly. Powered by Chrysler’s 6.4–liter (392 cubic inches) Hemi V8, it manages to produce 470-horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It uses Chrysler Group’s aforementioned Fuel Saver Technology and active valve exhaust system for four-cylinder operation on the highway once this Jeep is at cruising speed. According to Chrysler, it’s good for a 13-percent increase in efficiency.
The five–speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick control and steering wheel–mounted paddle shifters gave us complete control over whether we wanted to stick it or not. We were surprised at the lack of a six-speed tranny, but we could learn to live with this, we suppose. The Selec-Track (an allusion to the Selec-Trac transfer case used on some more traditional Jeeps) controller operated the full-time AWD, which can be set to allow a 50-50 torque-split for snow, and a 35-65 split for the street and the track. Seeing that we never towed, nor saw South Florida snow during our week with the Jeep, we kept the controller in sport and automatic modes. For the record, this Grand Cherokee can actually haul a trailer right out of the dealership; the outgoing model’s center exhaust required some serious surgery for a trailer hitch.
The sprung weight of the SRT8 is supported by a short/long arm setup in front, and a multi-link suspension in the rear. A Bilstein Adaptive Damping Suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bars at front and rear finishes it off. During spirited driving, it was clear that this is an SUV that truly hangs around for the turns rather than phone in its performance. It’s a bit unnerving when a ‘ute actually is encouraging you to press further to find the limits in a turn. Get in a bit too hot, and the big six-pot Brembo brakes with 15-inch rotors in front, and 13.78-inch platters in back, help to bring things under control again.
Jeep claims 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, and a run on the quarter in the mid-thirteens. On the dragstrip at Palm Beach International Raceway, we were about a half second off the pace, seeing a best of 14.05 seconds at 98.49 mph. We’re still impressed, to say the least.
Why you would buy it:
It’s a great vehicle in which to haul ass and the family, too.
Why you wouldn’t:
Momma prefers a minivan, and if Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy…
Leftlane’s bottom line:
Chrysler Group’s SRT division comes to market with an SUV that runs with competitors costing many thousands more.
New found attention to details, both inside and out, make this a must-have for those in the market.
2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 4×4 base price, $54,470. As tested, $55,295.
Destination, $825.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
