Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Hellcat: What Could Be

(Editor’s Note: Images 1 and 2 are illustrations while 3-9 show the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT.) 

Earlier this year, at the 2014 New York Auto Show, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles tapped Dodge to showcase an all-new 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine. The Hellcat, as this new engine quickly became known as, first debuted in the redesigned 2015 Dodge Challenger followed by an appearance in the all-new 2015 Dodge Charger later on in the year. Unlike new vehicles, new engines don’t always receive the recognition it deserves. Not the Hellcat though. 

The all-new Hellcat V8 engine is the most powerful engine Chrysler has ever produced for a street legal vehicle. It produces 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque with a price tag just under $64,000. For the sake of comparison, the next closest vehicle in terms of power is the BMW M5, and that starts at $78,000 while shorting you at least 132 horsepower. We’ve already seen Dodge shoehorn the Hellcat engine into the Challenger and Charger but what about the other products in SRT’s portfolio – the Chrysler 300 SRT and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT? While the future remains cloudy with the 300, Fiat-Chrysler has gone ahead and trademarked the name "Trackhawk," playing off of the "Trailhawk" name seen on the new Jeep Cherokee, which has subsequently sparked speculation of a Hellcat-equipped Grand Cherokee SRT.

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The images above are illustrations of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT with a 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 engine under the hood. It shares similar styling cues with the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT that is currently on sale. This mock-up, however, sports the Hellcat badging on the front fenders and tailgate while the hood features a few more air vents like the other Hellcat-equipped models. And like the Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat, the proposed Grand Cherokee SRT Hellcat has a wide, lower grille designed to chug air.  

Currently, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is only offered with the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine which is rated at 475 horsepower. It’s no slouch in its own right but offering the Hellcat in SRT’s most robust (and popular) model only seems natural. If Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat-Chrysler, gives the green light to mate the Hellcat V8 engine with the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, it will be interesting to see what happens to the "Trackhawk" name. A few things could happen with it, including seeing the Trackhawk name tethered to the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine in the Grand Cherokee lineup. Like in the Challenger and Charger portfolio, the Hellcat and its 707 horsepower would then become the top available Grand Cherokee offering. Another rumor that’s gained steam regarding the Trackhawk trademark includes a high-output Cherokee with that drivetrain also serving under the next-generation Dodge Journey and possibly even as motivation for the upcoming Dodge Dart SRT.   

It’s interesting to see what could be when it comes to the Hellcat engine and other possible landing spots. One thing is for sure though – the addition of the Hellcat to the ever-popular Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT seems destined for success. 

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