2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 & Charger SRT8

Recently, the Chrysler Group announced that its street and racing technology division, SRT, would become a stand-alone brand. And while we’ll have to wait a few more months to get behind the wheel of their hottest effort, the all-new SRT Viper, they already offer an impressive lineup of hot rodded cars plus an SUV’s, and we couldn’t wait to try a sampling for ourselves.

First stop in our 2012 SRT tour is the Dodge Charger SRT8. Part muscle-car, part daily driver, and all attitude, the Charger brings some serious performance to the full-size sedan ranks. We can’t remember when we’ve had this much fun in a big, American, rear-wheel-drive four-door. This is the second generation of the Charger and compared to the 1st generation, it’s a much more refined and solid car, almost German in feel. 

Handling is very docile for such a big beast, and the ride is quite composed and even all-day livable. Regardless of road surface, it remains very well behaved, with only major bumps giving a firm jolt. So, what exactly have they done at SRT to change the Charger to its SRT8 status? 

Well, it all starts with the HEMI under the hood of course, a 470-horsepower version of Mopar’s 6.4-liter V8. Torque also comes in a 470, and is spread like butter throughout the RPM range. From there, the Charger gets a new 2-mode Adaptive Damping System, with settings for Auto and Sport. Steering remains fully-hydraulic and gets re-tuned for better feel and quicker response.  Upgraded Brembo brakes are also part of the package, as well as 20-inch wheels. Behind the steering wheel, you can’t help but feel the awesome power, regardless of how fast you’re going. It’s simply spectacular. Yet the SRT Charger still cruises with ease when you want to chill, but there’s gobs of go on tap for when you’re in a hurry.

As for styling, the look is certainly more aggressive with a blacked-out grille and a new hood complete with prominent sculpturing and exhaust port. In back, the “race track” full-width tail lights are comprised of 164 individual LED’s, and there’s a new rear spoiler and big 4-inch exhaust tips. We simply love the two-tone red/black theme of the interior. Everything exudes quality and we’re still fans of the big in-dash nav screen. Everything is easy to find, and SRT models get a section of Performance Pages with tons of track info. 

Even though all the current SRT models share the same HEMI engine they are not created equally, as each vehicle gets specific tuning. And nowhere is that more evident than in our next ride, the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Spend much time behind the wheel of this beast and you’ll feel like you’ve taken a few spins in the drier. The ride is extremely rigid. But, if you can handle getting beat to a pulp, putting the power down is pure joy, and the throaty sound is about as good as it gets. 

Chrysler says all SRT models must pass a 24-hour racetrack endurance test that is no doubt partially responsible for this GC’s rock solid ride. Fortunately, that tuning does translate into sweet handling. We’ve never carved up cones like this in a Jeep before, staying incredibly well planted the whole way, with steering that’s both ultra-responsive and full of feedback. 

Under the hood, the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 churns out the same horsepower as the Charger, but a little less torque at 465 pound feet. Still, it was enough to shoot this evil SUV to 60 in 5-seconds flat. The ¼ mile takes just 13.5-seconds to dispense at 104-miles per hour. The Charger weighs less and sends power just to the rear wheels, so it’s quicker to 60 by a tenth, but faster through the ¼ mile by a half a second at 12.9-seconds and 110 miles-per-hour. That’s serious performance!

But, the Cherokee does wear its performance on its sleeve a little more than the Charger. To see that mean stance sitting in your drive way will cost you $55,295 for the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, while the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 will set you back $46,620. A Dodge Challenger SRT8 coupe, along with a Chrysler 300 SRT8 sedan are also available.

If the current SRT’s are any indication of what lies ahead for the brand, we can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the new Viper. But, if you can’t wait, SRT is ready now to slap you in your backside with as much Detroit Iron high performance as you can handle.