A 420-horsepower 6.1-liter HEMI V8 sounds like the kind of engine that would be right at home in a hot rod or a muscle car. But this souped-up powerplant made its way into a Jeep!
The Pick of the Day is a low-mileage 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in East Hanover, New Jersey. (Click the link to view the listing)
“Original owners, garage kept,” the listing begins. “Only 1,602 Jeep SRT8s produced for model year 2009 with only 751 sold in the U.S.” Even though it’s nearly 15 years old, this Jeep shows only 56,362 miles on the odometer. The seller states that the front air dam has been replaced, but there have been no structural repairs or other damaged areas noted.
The Grand Cherokee name has been around for 30 years as a well-loved midsized sport-utility vehicle, first coming to the marketplace in 1993 on the ZJ chassis. Today’s Grand Cherokee comes from the vehicle’s third generation, dubbed the “WK” chassis, which came out in 2005. Noteworthy content for this generation was Jeep’s signature (and very capable) Quadra-Trac II four-wheel drive.
However, this Jeep was designed more for the street than for off-roading in Moab. Dodge’s in-house performance division, under the name SRT (for Street & Racing Technology) gave the SRT8 Grand Cherokee a heart transplant and special equipment.
There are a few things that set this Jeep apart from its cookie-cutter siblings, starting with special front and rear fascias along with one-inch lower overall ride height. The dual center-outlet exhaust outlets at the rear are a dead giveaway that there is something special lurking underneath its skin. Lastly, the red-finished Brembo brakes are there to make sure this vehicle is just as capable of stopping as it is accelerating. Sending power to the pavement is a five-speed automatic transmission sending torque to a set of beefy 285-series tires wrapped in 20-inch Alcoa forged aluminum wheels.
Jeep didn’t forget to include some luxuries, since the Grand Cherokee originally made a name for itself by being an upper-class SUV. With that in mind, there is a drop-down DVD entertainment system for rear passengers, and the audio system in this SRT8 has been upgraded with a Kicker subwoofer.
The seller has provided over 80 photos that showcase the intricate details including the underbody. “100% Mopar with no tricks or cheap add-ons,” the listing states. “Must see in person to appreciate the condition both inside and out.”
The asking price is $29,000 for this hopped-up Grand Cherokee.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
