Jeep made a huge statement in 2017 with the unveiling of the 2018 model year Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Still the most powerful and torquiest series-production Jeep ever, the Hellcat-engined brute may seem intimidating to many peeps.
Even with a torque-converter automatic, four-wheel drive, and sticky tires, harnessing its 707 ponies and 645 pound-feet (875 Nm) is daunting. Universally appreciated for pushing the envelope, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk can do better with a little help from the aftermarket. Enter the HPE1000, a go-faster pack from one of the best-known tuners from Texas.
Backed up by three years of 36,000 miles (60,000 kilometers) of warranty, the HPE1000 can easily make a Bugatti Veyron blush with excitement. As the headline implies, Hennessey Performance Engineering is much obliged to squeeze out 1,000 horsepower at 6,500 revolutions per minute and 969 pound-feet (1,314 Nm) at 4,200 revolutions per minute from the 6.2-liter colossus hiding under the hood. The peak torque alone shames heavy-duty and even medium-duty trucks.
Modifications include an upgraded supercharger, joined by an upgraded pulley and high-flow induction. Breathing out is just as important as breathing in for an internal combustion engine, which is why Hennessey Performance Engineering also yanks out the stock cats in favor of high-flow catalytic converters.
Long-tube headers constructed from stainless steel, high-flow injectors, a crankcase ventilation system, and software calibration pretty much seal the deal. A beefed-up transmission is also likely, although we're not certain because there's no mention of this upgrade on Hennessey's website.
As a brief refresher, the only transmission offered in the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk came in the form of the ZF 8HP95. This variant of the long-running 8HP can take plenty of abuse, but still, its factory torque input rating is nowhere near the 969 pound-feet promised by Hennessey with the HPE1000 pack.
Every single build is tested for up to 500 miles (800 kilometers) before delivery to make sure that everything runs like clockwork. The HPE1000 further includes a serialized plaque in the engine bay and one for the cabin, reminders for the first and subsequent owners that they're driving a very special machine. A machine that not even Jeep is capable of designing due to the imminent demise of the Hellcat engine.
The Saltillo Engine Plant in Mexico, where Stellantis produces the current-gen HEMI in three displacements, has recently welcomed a twin-turbo sixer dubbed Hurricane. Its only applications thus far are the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. But given time, the Ram 1500 will also get this straight-six.
It's only natural because the Wagoneer twins are based on the half-ton pickup's underpinnings. Stellantis also wants to improve its fleet-wide fuel economy and emissions, and switching from cam-in-block V8s to DOHC twin-turbo I6s is an inspired way of meeting increasingly higher targets.
The Stellantis group isn't the only automaker that has embraced the inline-six design as of late. Mazda resurrected this setup as well for their large SUVs with two gassers and a diesel. The United States market only gets the 3.3-liter gasoline unit, which produces 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) in the CX-90 three-row sport utility vehicle.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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