2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 - First Test - video Dailymotion

MotorTrend

Associate Editor Mike Febbo runs the new Grand Cherokee SRT8 through our baragge of instrumented tests

Transcript

00:00 The traditional performance plan for Jeeps was to unbolt, unzip, unsnap, and otherwise

00:13 dismount every component that wasn't necessary.

00:15 The SRT guys have taken the Grand Cherokee in the complete opposite direction by throwing

00:20 technology and fat, sticky Italian tires at it, and they've created a whole different

00:24 monster.

00:25 While the Grand Cherokee SRT8 may not have the precision of its hemified siblings, it

00:31 might be more fun.

00:32 The stability control, the electronic center and rear differentials all work in conjunction

00:37 to keep the big girl dancing through the turns.

00:40 In the Figure 8, the Jeep matches the Charger and the 300's lap time, but does it a completely

00:45 different way.

00:47 The Jeep rotates on the brakes and then works the power through all four wheels on exit.

00:52 It finished Figure 8 in 25.8 seconds at an average of .71 G's.

00:57 It felt much more natural on the racetrack than it did in our Figure 8 track.

01:02 In big sweepers, it's tough to keep a steady speed as small inputs and throttle will cause

01:06 torque vectoring, but as soon as neutral throttle is needed, the added turning force goes away.

01:11 In most corners, the exit is foot down at the apex and don't lift.

01:15 This is where the Jeep really comes alive.

01:21 All the grip from the fat Pirellis help the big Brembo brakes haul the SUV down from speed

01:25 as well.

01:26 The front brakes have six piston calipers clamping 15 inch rotors, while the rear has

01:31 four piston calipers over 13.8 inch rotors.

01:34 Although it is over 800 pounds heavier than the Charger and the 300, it has the shortest

01:39 stopping distance at 106 feet from 60 miles per hour.

01:46 The 6.4 liter Hemi pulls from 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds.

01:51 That's 1.3 seconds faster than a 4.8 liter Porsche Cayenne.

01:55 From a standing start, the Jeep is surprisingly uneventful.

01:59 Floor the throttle and what would result in two smoking stripes and other SRTs is a big

02:04 squat, a little chirp, and brutal acceleration.

02:07 A quarter mile comes up in 13.3 seconds, showing 103.2 miles per hour.

02:15 So those are the raw numbers.

02:16 Let's see how that works on the track.

02:21 We're here at Willow Springs Raceway driving the new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

02:27 This thing's a monster.

02:28 6.4 liter Hemi V8 under the hood.

02:33 We're on the front straight.

02:34 We're getting up to 120 miles per hour from getting hard on the big Brembo brakes.

02:39 This thing really will rotate for you if you muscle it through.

02:43 Coming down into two, it's a big long turn.

02:47 This is where all 5,150 pounds of this thing really fights to go straight.

02:53 Has an electronic limited slip differential in the back, so coming out of this thing,

02:57 you can put your foot down and just let the computer do the job.

03:00 You can run right out towards the edge.

03:03 Going up into three, oh, late brake.

03:05 When you late brake like that, the electronic differential works for you in back, locks

03:10 up the diff in back and really rotates the car.

03:14 Coming out of four, coming downhill, again, the weight really working against the car,

03:19 but this thing has electronic stability control.

03:22 It'll save you every time.

03:25 Now here, coming up through six, this thing gets really light, even for all the weight.

03:32 You can actually get the car off the ground there.

03:35 Coming down the back straight, this is seven.

03:37 Just a kink, no worries.

03:39 Pucker factor here, going into eight.

03:42 We get up to almost 120 there.

03:44 Turn in, we're doing over 100 miles per hour through this turn.

03:48 Coming up on nine, I call this one the car wrecker.

03:51 Oh, get on the brakes, it moves around on you, but still stays in a straight line.

03:55 Not that big a deal.

03:57 Now stay outside, then turn it in.

03:59 Get outside.

04:02 That's a lap of Willow Springs in the Jeep SRT8.

04:05 This isn't a traditional Jeep.

04:11 This isn't a traditional anything.

04:13 What the Jeep SRT8 is, is big fun, figuratively and literally.

04:18 Jeep.

04:22 (rock music)

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 - First Test

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