Car Showroom recently spent a week behind the wheel of the racy Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and our only compliant was the dated five-speed automatic transmission. Tah-dah! The updated 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT8 bowed at the Detroit Auto Show and headlining the technical changes is an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.
Jeep says the new eight-speeder isn’t just for the rip-snorting SRT8 – it will be part of the updated Grand Cherokee lineup.
No other changes under the bonnet for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 – 344kW/624Nm from the 6.4-litre V8 gets the big American motoring in anyone’s language. In fact, aided by launch control, Jeep says the updated SRT8 is faster than its predecessor.
And the new transmission also lifts towing capacity to 3265kgs.
Styling changes give the muscly SRT8 and even stronger on-road presence and inside is more technology with a new 8.4-inch colour screen and revised instrumentation.
No word yet from Jeep Australia on local plans but you can bet the updated Grand Cherokee SRT8 will be ‘downunder’ some time in 2014.
