As a rather surprising addition for 2021, Malaysians will finally have access to the most powerful SUVs in the world.
Jeep is a brand that has kind of entered and exited Malaysia a couple of times over the last few decades, but under the stewardship of Tahb Automotive they seem to have a solid plan for reviving the brand in Malaysia. This is no easy task considering how Jeep's image in the US has drastically changed from its roots, and in many cases the traditional Jeep owners and fans may not appreciate the shift.
But with that shift can come great things – such as the SRT and Trackhawk versions of the Grand Cherokee. The regular variant of the Grand Cherokee already goes for RM 448,8809 to RM 468,889 – which is no small proposition. Going up to the SRT, buyers will need to fork out RM 719,000, while the top-of-the-line Trackhawk goes for RM 869,000. This is pretty much on par with BMW M and Mercedes-AMG model pricing.
What does that chunk of change get you? Well, we'll start with the SRT, which packs a 6.4-litre V8 petrol engine pushing 470 hp and 637 Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission delivering power to all four wheels. The century sprint takes just 4.5 seconds, even on the all-terrain Pirelli Scorpion Zero tyres. Brembo brakes provide stopping power, with a six piston setup up front and four piston setup at the rear.
All the badges on the Grand Cherokee SRT are blacked out – matte black to be specific – and there's a dual exit exhaust at the rear. Keyless entry and start, a full leather interior, a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, dual-zone air conditioning, and the uconnect 8.4-inch head unit all come as standard, offering a more premium experience than you would expect from a company built on utilitarian foundations.
As for the top-of-the-line Trackhawk, things get a little more extreme. The main change is the powertrain, with a slightly smaller 6.2-litre supercharged petrol engine pushing some staggering figures: 707 hp and 875 Nm of torque. Once again this is chanelled through an eight speed transmission to all four wheels shod in the same Pirelli Scorpion Zeroes: hitting 100 km/h from a standstill takes just 3.5 seconds.
Some aesthetic differences are present. The brake calipers are yellow instead of red, there are air vents in place of foglights, the badging is gloss black instead of matte black, and there is a quad exit exhaust round back. Red seatbelts are also a nice touch, as is some of the carbon fibre interior trim pieces – but for all intents and purposes the feature list is identical to the SRT model.
Keyword: Jeep Malaysia Launches Grand Cherokee SRT And Trackhawk