Fastest ever Jeep to nudge $160K

Last week motoring.com.au outlined all the key details for Jeep’s highly anticipated Grand Cherokee Trackhawk – “the world’s quickest and most powerful SUV” – including a starting price of close to $140,000.

Now, following the international launch of the Trackhawk in the US this week (you’ll have to wait until Friday to read our review), we’ve learned it will be accompanied by an even dearer Launch Edition with a price tag of close to $160,000.

In fact, Melbourne SRT Club member Rob McCulloch, who has secured one of the Launch Editions, revealed on the club’s Facebook page over the weekend that pricing has just been announced at $154,000 plus ORCs, meaning it will cost around $160,000 on the road.

The number of Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Launch Edition vehicles will be capped to 62 units to celebrate the model’s 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine. It’s understood the model will feature high-grade leather, lightweight wheels and special badging.

Otherwise, it will be specified as per the donor model, which Jeep Australia has confirmed will cost less than $140,000 plus ORCs.

Details of the regular Trackhawk have also firmed since its global launch, with standard Australian equipment confirmed to include a high-power harmon kardon audio system, panoramic sunroof and Pirelli P Zero sports tyres on 20-inch alloy wheels (finished in either Titanium or Black).

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Asia Pacific Region head of PR and corporate communications, Lucy McLellan, says the full standard features list will be extensive, but won’t be revealed until later this year.

“We expect the Trackhawk to come to Australia packed with value and all the luxuries that a customer at this end of the market would expect,” said McLellan.

“Pricing and the entire list of equipment for Australia will be announced closer to the Trackhawk’s arrival in December.”

We understand the first local Trackhawk deliveries will take place before Christmas, and Jeep has confirmed that supply is “open ended” at this point in time.

In the US, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk retails from $US85,900 (plus destination charges and emission taxes), making it the most expensive Jeep model ever sold Stateside, as it will be Down Under.

It’s a figure that sees the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk top both the FCA muscle-cars with which it shares its engine – the Dodge Charger sedan and Challenger Hellcat coupe, neither of which are officially available here – by more than $15K, and places it just $US1000 shy of the fire-breathing, dragstrip-focussed Challenger SRT Demon.

Producing a gob-smacking 527kW/874Nm, it rockets the 2500kg SUV to 100km/h in just 3.6sec, and on to a top speed of 290km/h.

Jeep says the figures are sufficient for a 0-400m time of 11.6sec (at 186km/h) and that its whopping yellow-painted 400mm Brembo brakes (the largest ever offered on a Jeep) make it even quicker to stop, hauling the Trackhawk to a stop from 96.5km/h in 34.7m.

Power is relayed to all four wheels via a paddle-shift-equipped TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission (which includes Launch Control) and six-mode Quadra-Trac all-wheel drive system.

The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk loses the dual-range transfer case and air suspension of its off-road siblings and is instead endowed with lowered independent suspension and adaptive Bilstein dampers all round. A toughened limited-slip rear diff is standard.

Riding on 20-inch alloy or optional forged aluminium wheels, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is shod with 295/45 ZR20 Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season or optional P Zeros, and is differentiated from the Grand Cherokee SRT by body-coloured wheel-arch flares and side-sill cladding, plus a sculpted bonnet with dual heat extractors.

At the rear the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is distinguished by a gloss black valance housing 4.0-inch black-chrome quad exhaust outlets. The tailgate incorporates a Trackhawk nameplate on a liquid chrome outline and matte black background, complemented by a pair of Supercharged badges on the front doors.

The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is available in nine exterior colours.

Inside, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk features swathes of soft-touch materials and light black chrome and carbon-fibre spear garnishes, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters and combination Nappa leather and suede heated and cooled seats.

The US model’s instrument panel boasts a 200mph (322km/h) speedo and 7.0-inch driver instrument display, just smaller than the centre stack’s 8.4-inch Uconnect system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

On the safety front, equipment runs to adaptive cruise control with stop-functionality, advanced brake assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning with crash mitigation, front and rear parking assist, lane-departure warning and a reversing camera.

The current Grand Cherokee scores a five-star ANCAP safety rating, but Jeep is yet to provide an official fuel consumption figure for the Trackhawk, which could be as thirsty as 18.8L/100km.