Parked in the National Auto Museum in Reno, Nevada, the so-called “Jerrari” turns out to presage the unlikely arrival of luxury performance to the rugged Jeep brand. What’s a Jerrari? Long story short, it’s one of two Ferrari-V12-powered Jeep Grand Wagoneers built by casino magnate Bill Harrah in the 1970s. Harrah had the kind of deep pockets to afford anything, and what he wanted was a wood-paneled offroad ocean liner with enough steam under the hood to crack 220 km/h.
Harrah’s empire faded after his death, eventually divvied up and swallowed by various hotel chains. That’s fitting, somehow, as this reborn modern version of Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer is the size of a Holiday Inn. Underneath the boxy sheetmetal are the body-on-frame underpinnings of a Ram 1500, albeit with a smoother riding independent rear suspension. Power comes from a 6.4L V8 like that in a Scat Pack Challenger. You have to think ol’ Bill H. would approve.
Nearly five and a half metres long, this big beast is Stellantis launching its own ship-of-the-line to go broadside to broadside with the likes of the Cadillac Escalade. In an age of toonie per litre gasoline, the timing might seem a bit off. But until Ford comes up with some kind of EV version of the Navigator (Navigator Lightning? Sounds pretty cool), this powerful and thirsty three-row Jeep is a compelling alternative to the hulking livery vehicles found swishing VIPs away at most airports around the world.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
First point to Jeep: the Grand Wagoneer gets to trade on both its established nameplate and the outsider effect. Yes, the Escalade and the Navigator have been locked in a battle for street cred for years, but they are also established background noise in your average music video. Let the chauffeurs argue over Lincoln or the Cadillac superiority — the Wagoneer gets to be something fresh for the buyers who wants to put one in their driveway.
And, at the same time, it’s not a new idea. The original Grand Wagoneer, which launched in 1963 and carried right through until the early 1990s, has a huge cult following, some of whom clearly have money to burn. Not since the Volkswagen Westfalia has a vintage outdoorsy vehicle enticed rich folks to get their wallets out; at Grand Wagoneer specialist Wagonmaster in Texas, a fully restored 1980s version will set you back between $100,000-160,000.
By that standard, spending $127,675 for this new Series III with three rows of seats and modern amenities seems like a bargain. Well, a bargain per pound anyway. But again, this six-figure pricetag puts the Grand Wagoneer directly into competition with full-size SUVs from Cadillac and Lincoln.
Like those two other luxury apartment blocks on wheels, the Grand Wagoneer is far more convincing on the inside than the outside. Quilted seats in fine-grain leather help explain away the pricetag, and with the vast panoramic glass roof, the Wagoneer is as airy as a solarium. The wood accents are very well executed, and build quality is certainly high enough to warrant comparisons with the domestic luxury marques. Head and leg room is excellent in all three rows.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
Further, like the other luxo-Clydesdales in the running, the Grand Wagoneer can do things that smaller SUVs can’t. A tow rating of 4,468 kg, when equipped with the $1,295 heavy-duty tow package, makes short work of putting the horses behind the wagon(eer). For towing boats to the cottage or camping trailers long distance, truck-based SUVs are still tough to beat for capability.
Having said that, most Grand Wagoneers will not work as hard or as often as the Ram pickups they share bones with. Unburdened by theoretical horse-trailers, the performance provided by the V8 and ten-speed-transmission option is eyebrow-raising. With 471 hp on tap, the Grand Wagoneer picks up its heels and scoots across the landscape as if it just heard of a new Gold Rush and wants to be first to stake a claim. Straight-line performance measures are only a tick or two behind a Volkswagen GTI.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
In a vehicle that weighs nearly three metric tonnes, that’s pretty impressive. Almost as impressive as the decibel level of the scream such lead-footed behaviour will result in at the pump. Jeep claims average mileage of around 16.0 L/100 kms in mixed use, but observed figures were much closer to twenty litres per hundred. Given the lofty pricetag, this kind of economy shouldn’t bother well-heeled segment shoppers too much, but note that premium fuel is recommended for even a bit more of a sting when filling up. Jeep’s plug-in hybrid system would ease the daily-driving pain here immensely, and its upcoming new twin-turbo inline six will probably also be a little easier on fuel.
More of a concern is the Grand Wagoneer’s ride quality, which struggles to match its established rivals in overall polish. It’s hardly what you’d call rough, but the Escalade especially rides like a luxury vehicle, and the Grand Wagoneer has a tendency to truck-like behaviour over sharper bumps. You’d forgive the behaviour in a well-appointed Ram, but it’s noticeable here.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Photo by Brendan McAleer
Criticism of other dynamics borders on irrelevant. The Grand Wagoneer turns and steers with an isolation from the road, which is what you expect from this class. It never stops feeling substantial, but is not unmanageable on city streets. Road noise is well damped.
The other slight annoyance is a few niggles with the normally-excellent Stellantis infotainment. It’s very visually impressive, but occasionally struggled to link to CarPlay. This tester had the sharp-looking rear entertainment units, but for the price, you might want to distract your brood with a couple of iPads instead. Or a book, perhaps?
Overall, however, Jeep’s entry into the literally-largest segment of the luxury market is a convincing effort. The Grand Wagoneer offers a blend of comfort, technology, capability, and aplomb that puts it shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Lincoln and Cadillac. If it had existed in his time, Bill Harrah might never have swapped a Ferrari engine into his Jeep. But he did, and should you like to go take a look at his creation, picking up the reins to a Grand Wagoneer for a long-distance highway cruise just might be the best way to get there.
Keyword: SUV Review: 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer