2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Enters Bullrun Live Rally

Chrysler’s all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is set to tackle this year’s Bullrun road rally with professional race driver Robby Gordon behind the wheel. A challenge destined to put luxury vehicles through their paces, the Bullrun Live Rally takes place from July 8th - July 15th starting in Las Vegas, Nev., and ending in Miami, Fla.

Claimed to be the fastest Jeep ever built, the model made its global public debut at the NYIAS 2011 event back in April. The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is hides Chrysler Group's all-new 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 with Fuel Saver Technology under its hood.

The unit is capable of delivering an estimated 470 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. (630 Nm) of torque, which represents an improvement of 45 horsepower and 45 lb.-ft. torque over the 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 it replaces.

The new Grand Cherokee SRT8 is 13% more economic compared to its predecessor thanks to a new active exhaust system that lets Chrysler's cylinder-deactivating Fuel Saver Technology operate over a wider RPM band.

The vehicle also features a new SRT-tuned, adaptive damping suspension managed by the new Jeep Selec-Track system that interacts with several different systems (stability control, adaptive damping, transmission shift strategy, transfer case torque proportioning, Electronic Limited Slip Differential performance, throttle control and cylinder de-activation) to automatically tune the dynamics of the vehicle.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the capabilities of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8," said Mike Manley, President and CEO - Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "With Robby Gordon pushing the limits, the world will see that the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 really is the ultimate performance SUV. Never before has there been such an expression of Jeep capability and utility, world-class performance, luxury and refinement, and advanced innovative technology in one vehicle."