Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 Review

Jeeps are great for climbing rocks, crawling along trails, or blasting across sandy beaches, but they've never been road burners. Until, that is, the mad scientists at DaimlerChrysler's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) got ahold of the latest Grand Cherokee and transmogrified it into the Grand Cherokee SRT-8. Not only is this Jeep nowhere near "trail rated," putting it on dirt would be like asking a DC-10 to taxi through the drive-thru at Wendy's.

The essential element in the GC SRT-8 is the same 6.1L Hemi that's in the SRT-8 versions of the Magnum, Charger, and 300. While the 6.1 is rated at 425 hp in those other SRT-8s, in the Jeep that's choked down to 420 hp due to more restrictive intake and exhaust systems. Also as in those other SRT-8s the 6.1 feeds its power to a five-speed automatic transmission. But unlike the cars, the transmission in the Jeep feeds an all-wheel-drive system. Of course the GC SRT-8 has been redecorated for street duty with new front and rear fascias and lowered an inch below other Grand Cherokees and rides on specific five-spoke, 20-inch wheels wrapped in 255/45R20 and 285/40R20 Goodyear all-season radials. The Grand Cherokee is one of the boxiest boxes on wheels, but this is one bad-ass-looking box. Inside there are more aggressive front bucket seats, the clich-of-today carbon-fiber trim on some surfaces and "refined aluminum" surrounding elements of the dash center stack. It all looks good, the seats feel great, the driving position is excellent, and there's enough room so that sticking someone in the back seat doesn't constitute an act of cruelty while all the storage space of the Grand Cherokee is preserved.

But the real joy of this truck is in driving it. Despite the 5hp excision, the Hemi is just as engaging here as it is in other applications, and it moves this 4,788-pound beast with authority and confidence. SRT claims it will rock from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds-it feels just about that quick and has the "raw power to outperform the Porsche Cayenne Turbo," as claimed by DaimlerChrysler. Motor Trend measured that Porsche doing the 0-60 thing in 4.7 seconds.

Handling is a mixed bag, though. With stability control and all-wheel drive, it would take a tsunami to knock the GC SRT-8 off its balance, but with so much weight and such big tires there's a numb feel to the steering that is disappointing. This is the only Jeep we think might be better if they dropped the weight and complexity of the four-wheel-drive system in favor of better steering response. Still, if you want to hustle around corners, this thing will hustle and do it without complaint or a loss of dignity. Prices for the Grand Cherokee SRT-8 start at $39,995. Compare that to the Cayenne Turbo at nearly $90K, and the little Jeep is a real bargain.-John Pearley Huffman

New Diesel for The 300CLast year's infamous summer of over-$3.00/gallon gasoline provoked some consumers to take extreme measures, like considering buying a hybrid, or worse yet, a Japanese economy car. Undoubtedly utilizing the help of Pa Daimler, Ma Mopar has just introduced an all-new diesel engine for the hot-selling 300C. The 3.0L all-aluminum mill puts out 217 hp and an impressive 376 lb-ft of torque at just 1,600 rpm while delivering nearly 30 mpg. Highlights include a variable-geometry turbocharger, dual overhead cams actuating four-valves per cylinder, and a light-for-a-diesel weight of 459 pounds. Keeping emissions levels in check are new ceramic Piezo injectors paired with Bosch common-rail technology that pulse five times for each power stroke to more precisely match fuel delivery to engine load and rpm. A diesel particulate filter makes the emissions extra clean, but not clean enough for the North American market. Unfortunately, the EPA and our filthy high-sulphur diesel fuel precludes enjoyment of the 300C CRD in its homeland. For now.-Stephen Kim