Speed is typically not your friend on rugged, slick rock trails, but torque and horsepower are something every Jeep enthusiast can appreciate, and so in conjunction with its unveil at the New York Auto Show, Jeep unveiled the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk in Moab, Utah during the Easter Jeep Safari. This new Jeep is hailed as the quickest, most powerful SUV ever.
The Trackhawk isn’t exactly a complete secret, but today is our first official look at this new Jeep. This SUV lays claim to some impressive headlines thanks to its supercharged 6.2L V8 Hellcat engine, which is rated to produce 707 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque. Jeep harnesses that power with all four wheels, laying down the fastest 0-60 mph time ever for an SUV of 3.5 seconds and an impressive quarter mile time of 11.6 seconds. Helping process that power efficiently is an upgraded TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission.
Being able to accelerate quickly also means it’s important to be able to stop quickly, so the Trackhawk features upgraded Brembo brakes that include the largest standard front brakes ever offered on a Jeep, with two-piece vented rotors that are 15.75 inches, while 13.78-inch vented rotors are employed out back.
The Trackhawk does feature a Quadra-Trac on-demand four-wheel-drive system that features an electronic limited-slip rear diff and a single-speed active transfer case that uses a forged steel chain sprocket and wider chain for improved strength and durability. Of course other components on the Trackhawk are also enhanced for improved durability, such as the rear driveshaft and rear axle. For improved aerodynamics, the Trackhawk sits about one inch lower than the standard Grand Cherokee models. Jeep also fitted the Trackhawk with its Selec-Trac system, with modes for Auto, Sport, Track, Towing and Snow. There’s also a custom mode to dial in the Jeep for the specific driving experience a person wants.
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is an impressive machine, but it’s obviously not something we’d ever see on the trails out here in Moab. But since this impressive new production model does employ the the Hellcat engine, maybe there’s a possibility we might see it in the new Wrangler JL down the road – that’s not likely, but at least we can dream about it, right?
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