Fortunately for lovers of relatively inexpensive super-SUVs, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 starts at a mere $48,495. Of course, there
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| Fortunately for lovers of relatively inexpensive super-SUVs, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 starts at a mere $48,495. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
aren't many other relatively inexpensive hyper-powered SUVs to compare it to, other than Chevy's 395-horsepower TrailBlazer SS at $53,345, which I have been told is surprisingly nimble but not as sporting as Jeep's latest entry and priced close to $5K more. Whew! That's a couple of years worth of premium unleaded, no less (or more if you factor in interest rates over four or five years), even considering the SRT8's thirst for fuel. But those opting for the non-MDS equipped 6.1-litre variant probably won't be caring too much about such details, at least at first. What will matter more are the 420 ponies under the hood, complemented with 420 lb-ft of rubber burning torque.
At take-off it's otherworldly. With the right foot planted solidly on the throttle it pins all occupants into the backs of their seats with a gravitational pull that must be reminiscent of a Cape Cod launch, although the resonant bass-like gurgling exhaust that immediately changes tune to a higher pitched roar made me feel as if I was actually inside "FrightMare", the world's largest Jeep, other than the lack of a roof, missing
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| While stunning to look at, pressing the right pedal results in otherworldly acceleration, while the left one will bring the GC SRT8 to standstill almost as quickly. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
roll cage, the requisite fire extinguisher, and the fact that the Jeep handles curves at supercar speeds almost as well as it accelerates.
My driving partner and I started the climb out of Pasadena, California on a regular hot, sunny day, up over the Angeles Crest highway, easily one of the best roads the world has to offer driving enthusiasts and appreciators of scenic vistas alike, right onto the Angeles Forest Highway, also spectacular for both passions, and then on the Antelope Valley Freeway towards Palmdale and Lancaster, California, home to the Edwards Air Force Base as well as a desert haunt I once had to spend a little more than a week in at 110 to 120+ degrees (that would be Fahrenheit), rebuilding my carburetor, repairing a rusted gas tank and still waiting for yet more Suzuki GS750 parts to arrive - another story, another time.
