The last time the world had a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT was in 2021 with the fourth-generation WK2 model, but that could change soon. Although executives have stopped short of confirming a new SRT-badged Grand Cherokee, let alone a Trackhawk, they’ve certainly thought about it, and we know this because when Jeep’s VP of sales, Mauricio Lopez, was asked about a high-performance Grand Cherokee, he said that “absolutely everything is on the table.” He also said that, with Tim Kuniskis as head of the SRT brand, “you can imagine what is coming […] from a powertrain perspective.”
We most certainly can – the supercharged HEMI would be a great way for Jeep to claim the title of Most Powerful Combustion SUV in the World, a crown currently worn by the 717-horsepower Aston Martin DBX S. With factory-supported tuning, it could even outmuscle the 801-hp Lamborghini Urus SE plug-in hybrid.
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT: Supercharged Power Seems Inevitable
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Tim Kuniskis has spearheaded the push for Stellantis to offer more V8s, and under his watch, the American market has been treated to the return of the TRX badge. But the 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8 won’t be confined to the Ram 1500 forever, with Ram’s first-ever SUV expected to appear as a Rumble Bee-powered monster with 777 horsepower (potentially 900 hp with Direct Connection upgrades), and if Ram is building a high-performance SUV, it would surely be easy for Jeep to copy its corporate stablemate’s homework. We’d expect power to go to all four wheels, retuned suspension, much beefier brakes, a reinforced transmission, and unique aesthetics inside and out, as our renders preview. With all-wheel drive, the Grand Cherokee SRT could easily out-accelerate the Ram pickup, but Ram’s product lineup is both the patron saint of a new Jeep SRT product and the biggest hurdle to the Trackhawk’s return.
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While Ram’s prolific use of the supercharged HEMI is positive, encouraging the potential return of the Dodge Charger Hellcat, there’s the small issue of brand separation. When Jeep says that “anything is on the table” rather than confirming that it is exploring the return of an SRT model to its lineup, it’s likely being hesitant because Stellantis products have tended to blend into each other at times, and with Jeep being positioned more as a luxury off-road brand than one that needs a performance halo, bringing a V8 engine back to the Grand Cherokee range may work, but adding a hardcore, supercharged SRT variant may come across as disingenuous, especially since a similar offering is slated to appear with a Ram badge.
Autoblog’s Take
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Indeed, anything can happen, and that rubs both ways. It’s worth remembering that, before former CEO Carlos Tavares left Stellantis, the conglomerate had been pushing towards electric vehicles, which proved unpopular and led to financial troubles. Under Antonio Filosa, things have changed, and while the Trump administration has rolled back fuel economy standards for the foreseeable future, that may not last forever, so Jeep may well be compelled to make hay while the sun shines and provide a high-performance Grand Cherokee while it can. Stuffing a supercharged V8 under the hood of the WL Grand Cherokee (which first appeared in 2021) could be a great way to do that while also extending the life of an aging model.
Related: Ram’s First SUV Coming With 777-HP Supercharged V8
