Next-gen Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk supercharged V8 axed, though hybrid inline-six possible – report
Jeep and Dodge's supercharged V8 won't feature in the next-generation Grand Cherokee – though a fire-breathing Trackhawk variant is still possible, thanks to hybrid power.
A next-generation version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk super SUV has been axed, according to new reports – at least with supercharged V8 power under the bonnet.
Online publication MoparInsiders quotes insider sources suggesting a second generation of the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk SUV powered by a supercharged V8 has been axed from Jeep's plans, owing to tightening emissions regulations and parent company Stellantis' push towards hybrid and electric vehicles.
The outgoing 'WK2' generation Trackhawk – powered by a 522kW/868Nm 6.2-litre supercharged petrol V8 – will end production later this year to make way for a new 'WL' model, ahead of the supercharged engine's demise across the global Stellantis range by 2024.
However, despite the demise of the supercharged V8, the outlet claims a next-generation Trackhawk has not been completely ruled out – instead, it would look to hybrid power.
MoparInsiders reports Stellantis' upcoming turbocharged inline-six – first previewed in patent images in 2019 – could see use in an SRT or Trackhawk-badged version of the new Grand Cherokee, assisted with 'eBooster' electric turbocharging technology and a plug-in hybrid system.
Above: The outgoing Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Top of story: CarAdvice's imagining of a new Grand Cherokee L Trackhawk.
The car maker is said to be targeting outputs of up to 392kW from the engine, when fitted with eBooster technology only – surpassing the 344kW/624Nm quoted by the 6.4-litre V8-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT.
The publication says the addition of multiple electric motors as part of an expanded hybrid system could "[close] the gap" to the Trackhawk – with an output above 550kW a fair estimate, in order to offset the additional heft of a battery pack and electric motors.
Any performance version of the new Grand Cherokee would likely be based on the new-generation five-seat model due in Australia in 2022, rather than the seven-seat Grand Cherokee L slated to arrive locally in late 2021.
Alongside the unveiling of the two-row Grand Cherokee in plug-in hybrid guise last week, Jeep confirmed plans to offer electric versions of every model by 2025, from the city-sized Renegade (and a new model rumoured to sit below it) to the full-size Wagoneer not offered in Australia.
Around 70 per cent of Jeep sales globally by 2025 are slated to use hybrid or electric power – meaning a high-performance electrified Jeep is highly likely within the coming years, in order to meet that sales mix.
Expect more details of performance version of the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee to come to light over the coming years. The standard five-seat model will arrive locally in 2022, following the three-row 'L' variant due in late 2021.
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