The fire-breathing Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 has been unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Beneath its bulging bonnet lies a 6.4-litre HEMI V8 packing 464bhp and 630Nm of torque – that’s 49bhp and 61Nm more than the 6.1-litre V8 of its predecessor.
But thanks to a cylinder deactivation system that shuts down half the pistons under light engine loads, fuel economy has improved by 12 per cent – to just under 20mpg combined.
Performance should be strong, with 0-62mph taking 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 158mph. That puts the Jeep on a par with the £84,790 Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The SRT-8 goes on sale across Europe early next year.
It will be sold in only a single trim level, priced at around £50,000. Equipment will include sat-nav, a twin sunroof, adaptive cruise control and active dampers. Sports seats also feature, while on the outside, lowered suspension and LED daytime running lights mark out the SRT-8 from lesser models in the range.
