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2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied, Hellcat SUV Gets Closer to Production

With Jeep CEO Mike Manley having confirmed the automaker is putting a Hellcat engine in the Grand Cherokee, we're back on the topic with a spy video that brings us one step closer to the 2017 release of the monster SUV.
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied 6 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Spied
For the record, spy clips usually don't get this thorough - we can see the self-proclaimed SRT fanatics who caught the 2018 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk prototype on camera following the test vehicle for over three minutes, this offering us a complete view of the tester.

And while other Grand Cherokee Trackhawk prototypes were spotted fully naked (this doesn't necessarily mean they had reached their final form, though), the one we have here has its front fascia fully covered.

Even so, the hefty braking hardware, as well as the roll cage inside the tester are clues pointing towards the serious muscle of the high-riding machine.

Then there's the aural part of the recording - this video can easily be seen as a fight between the driver of the prototype, who was doing his best not to step on the gas, obviously knowing he was being attacked by amateur carparazzi and the SRT aficionados filming him, who talk about the supercharger whine throughout the clip - as much as we wish to reinforce their decibel-related conclusions, we can't say we're 100 percent sure the soundtrack of the prototype is a blower whine.

Then again, with the official confirmation mentioned in the intro, we don't need any reinforcements. Speaking of which, the official release of the vehicle is expected to take place in Summer 2017.

As for the tech details of the Hellcat-animated Jeep, there are two main... leads. The first has to do with a rumor stating the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk will be able to play the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) game in 3.5 seconds, making the animal 0.3s quicker than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

As for the second, this has to do with the recently-revealed Ram Rebel TRX Concept. The Raptor-rivaling concept might have Hellcat power, but the output of its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 has dropped from 707 to 575 ponies, which is still enough to allow it to do "100 MPH anywhere".

Here's to hoping the power drop mentioned above is linked to the segment targeted by the Rebel TRX Concept (after all, the Raptor has 450 hp) and the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk delivers a power figure closer to the magical 707 of the Dodge unidentical twins.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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