Jeep Grand Cherokee Hellcat confirmed for US

Jeep CEO Mike Manley has confirmed that his company will be producing a Hellcat version of its Grand Cherokee SUV for the US market from July 2017.

The hot new Jeep will get the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 used in FCA stablemate Dodge’s Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcat models, although it’s not yet known if the SUV will have the same 707bhp and 650lb ft outputs of those cars.

Even with a slight power deficit, the Hellcat model should comfortably outpunch Jeep’s current fastest car, the 461bhp Grand Cherokee SRT (pictured above), which is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 5.0sec and reach a top speed of 160mph.

The Hellcat engine’s potential performance could even move the hot Grand Cherokee beyond the realms of today’s current crop of super-SUVs, which includes the 561bhp Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and 542bhp Range Rover Sport SVR.

Video: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT takes on its fastest rivals - drag race

Further technical specs will be revealed in the coming months, but we can expect the Hellcat-engined car to get bigger brakes and a performance-focused chassis set-up. It’s thought the name Grand Cherokee Trackhawk could be adopted, in reference to the car’s track focus.

Insiders say the model won’t replace the SRT; rather, it will sit above it in the US range. That means the SRT should be retained as the fastest production Jeep on sale in the UK.

US pricing is a long way off from being revealed, but expect a significant increase on the SRT’s $64,895 (about £46,020) starting figure.

Like many America-only models, it’ll probably still cost just a fraction of its European equivalents. The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, for example, is capable of 204mph but in its native market retails from less than £45,400. That’s about £10,000 less than a UK-bound BMW M3.