Jeep Trackhawk could work in Oz

American SUV specialist Jeep is rumoured to be working on a ballistic version of its Grand Cherokee, powered by a bonkers 527kW, 880Nm supercharged V8 engine. And it's the sort of SUV that Australians would certainly be interested in.

Australian executives from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (FCA), the company that imports all Jeep and Chrysler models into this country, said they had no knowledge of the tyre-shredding SUV.

But they did concede that such a vehicle would work well in the Australian new car marketplace.

Andrew Chesterton, FCA Australia's communications and media strategist refused to confirm reports that the Trackhawk has been green-lit for production but observed that a beefier version of its largest SUV could be a viable addition to the range.

"The Grand Cherokee SRT has always been a very popular car in Australia, so there's no reason to suggest a more powerful version wouldn't be of interest," he said.

FCA has already taken a trademark out on the Trackhawk name, which has led to speculation that the company plans to stuff the stir-crazy 6.2-litre supercharged V8, worth 527kW, into the Jeep Grand Cherokee's engine bay.

The problem for FCA at present is that demand for the 880Nm Hellcat engine in the US – currently available in the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars which may also arrive locally – has exceeded all expectation.

"In the States they can't make enough of those engines," stated Chesterton.

"In the last six weeks they've announced a new factory focussed on Hellcat development to try and lift [production] outputs."

If the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk does become a reality, and it's offered in Australia, it would become the most powerful and fastest SUV offered in this country, outgunning the likes of the 419kW Porsche Cayenne Turbo S by a significant margin.

It would also be considerably more affordable than the $284,000 Porsche, not to mention other go-fast SUVs from Europe such as the BMW X5 M, Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 and upcoming Range Rover Sport SVR.

The most powerful Jeep offered in Australia at the moment, the 344kW Grand Cherokee SRT (pictured), starts at $82,000 and generates 'only' 344kW and 624Nm from its 6.4-litre HEMI V8 engine. And the 2.3-tonne brute accelerates from 0-100km/h in a snappy 4.8 seconds.

As such expect a vehicle like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk to rip to 100km/h in the low 4.0 second bracket.

A potential price is more difficult to predict, but given the current Grand Cherokee SRT is $82,000, the Trackhawk would easily break into six figure territory in this country.

FCA Australia's director of corporate communications, Lucy McLellan, didn't deny the existence of a rampaging Trackhawk model but wouldn't be drawn on particulars.

"We haven't seen a business plan, we haven't seen any formal communication, we haven't been briefed about it at all," she stated.

Avoiding the direct questioning, she steered the discussion down another path: "Do you think Australians would buy it?"

Over to you, dear readers.