Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 info for 2012 model year

[Arkaign]

If I had to hazard a guess as to why they backed off on the SRT Jeep, it'd be a combo of :

Hitting single-digit fuel economy numbers

and ..

4x4 transmission/differential power limit?

Seems like I remember seeing that lots of folks who modded their SRT8 Jeeps ran into tranny trouble? Or am I incorrect?

 

[SoulAssassin]

How much? I can't find any pricing info?

 

[Doppel]

Sure would be happy to own one but no joking, it's not quite at the price point of, say, a 911 Turbo at which fuel use means nothing to the owner. These things are gas guzzling maniacs and are going to be a hard sell with ~$4/gallon gas if it hangs around that for much longer.

 

[LTC8K6]

The buyers of SRT models are unconcerned about fuel economy.

 

[SonicIce]

remember when they were a company that made off road vehicles?

 

[LTC8K6]

remember when they were a company that made off road vehicles?

They still make extremely capable off-road vehicles, and that includes the new and the previous Grand Cherokee.

 

[Bignate603]

remember when they were a company that made off road vehicles?

The wrangler is still the best cheap out of the box off roader out there.

 

[zerocool84]

The wrangler is still the best cheap out of the box off roader out there.

Exactly, but then they need cars the general public will actually buy. Companies don't make money off of specialty "cool" cars, they make money off the boring stuff that everyone buys.

 

[LTC8K6]

I think the Compass will be a hit for Jeep.

 

[alkemyst]

Reports are a 450 mile cruising range...if they keep the 24 gallon tank then that's right under 19mpg...the old model reported 12 city/16 highway with most getting around 13 in testing.

The Charger SRT8 about 13 city/19 highway and a more reasonable 16 in testing.

I like the Jeep too, but I read many Charger guys getting into the 20's on the highway...but the Jeep crowd not so lucky.

 

[Bignate603]

Exactly, but then they need cars the general public will actually buy. Companies don't make money off of specialty "cool" cars, they make money off the boring stuff that everyone buys.

They sell about 100k Wranglers a year. While something like a Corolla sells about 3x that the Wrangler still sells very very well. Typically for specialty cars there's more profit margin anyways.

 

[LTC8K6]

The 6.4L has MDS with the auto transmissions, so it will cruise as a V4.

Chrysler should also shortly have the 8 speed transmissions out on the lots in place of the 5 speeds.

So if you are planning to buy, better wait if you can and see if the 8 speed will be an option for you.

 

[alkemyst]

8 speed has been talked about since about 2008. Much like each year the Charger getting the 6speed esp after the Challeger got it.

MDS, since most will not know is the ability for an engine to run on less cylinders for fuel economy. The Charger 5.7 has an option to run as a four-banger.

This is part of the way they are getting 25% higher highway mileage in the 2012 Charger SRT8.

I am in the process of debating if I want a $700-1000 car payment.

 

[bryanW1995]

Not impressed. Jeep has simply become another company that cranks out SUVs. Too bad.

I don't have any inside info on exactly why the vehicle isn't faster, but I will say that in the past they might have cut some corners (like quality/reliability/drivability/etc) in other areas to garner a few extra 1/10ths. Personally, even though I think that speed/power is the overwhelming design goal with a vehicle like this, I'm glad that they didn't cut corners in other areas and I'm glad that they didn't spend so much on the car that we wouldn't be able to sell it.

 

[bryanW1995]

How much? I can't find any pricing info?

We don't have pricing info, my inventory guy checked yesterday and was told it would be a "while". We can't even order them yet, and usually with vehicles like this you don't get the actual price until a month or two after ordering is available.

edit: just talked to chrysler rep, he thinks it will be "sometime in June".

 

[LTC8K6]

8 speed has been talked about since about 2008. Much like each year the Charger getting the 6speed esp after the Challeger got it.

MDS, since most will not know is the ability for an engine to run on less cylinders for fuel economy. The Charger 5.7 has an option to run as a four-banger.

This is part of the way they are getting 25% higher highway mileage in the 2012 Charger SRT8.

I am in the process of debating if I want a $700-1000 car payment.

The ZF 8 speed is definitely here on the 2012 300S with the Pentastar.

Whether it will be on the V8's is still debatable, unfortunately.

 

[dawp]

Not impressed. Jeep has simply become another company that cranks out SUVs. Too bad.

I hope you know that Jeep has been making SUVs since before they were called SUV. They were one of the innovators of that segment. You could say the 1st Jeep was the first SUV.

that said, not my type of vehicle, I prefer something a little lower to the ground and handles 10 times better.

 

[alkemyst]

The ZF 8 speed is definitely here on the 2012 300S with the Pentastar.

Whether it will be on the V8's is still debatable, unfortunately.

I was only refering to the SRT8 lineup. Especially knowing the 8 speed was being used. Just like when the Challenger got the 6speed, everyone assuming the charger would get it the following year.

The sad part is the first two Charger prototypes had the 6 speed.

I am thinking more and more on the autostick as not a bad deal. I am leaning towards this 2012 model even though I wasn't keen on the body scallops in non-SRT8 form.

 

[TheSlamma]

Honestly I don't see why Chrysler struggles to produce profit, they make all the race cars everyone wants. wahts the deal?

 

[dawp]

Honestly, Chrysler need more low cost, high mileage cars in their line up. Comparatively few people want a car that will do 0-60 in under 6 seconds. That's why GM and Ford are running circles around Chrysler profit wise.

They need something like the Dodge Colt of 30 years ago in their line up.

 

[alkemyst]

And not many in the sub $50k segment want a car that gets less than 20MPG in the city and some of the time highway.

 

[Kadarin]

Honestly, Chrysler need more low cost, high mileage cars in their line up. Comparatively few people want a car that will do 0-60 in under 6 seconds. That's why GM and Ford are running circles around Chrysler profit wise.

They need something like the Dodge Colt of 30 years ago in their line up.

Oddly enough, the 2011 base model V6 Ford Mustang does 0-60 in 5.1 seconds while getting 19/29MPG, as per Car and Driver. Ford is doing something right.

 

[Doppel]

The buyers of SRT models are unconcerned about fuel economy.

I doubt this claim, especially since a guy who sells them even mentioned its better economy in his first post. These are still cheap enough vehicles to figure into some of their buyers' considerations on gas use.

Chrysler as a brand is doing poorly because they have no cars worth buying. And people know this, so they don't buy them. Other than some interesting performance cars nobody shopping a corolla or an altima or a fusion or, well, what most people drive even will spend a second looking at a Chrysler. The quality stinks, it's about the worst one out of there of all the major manufacturers and people know this.