There's no question the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is a bit over the top. During our own week-long test drive it was easy to recognize just ludicrous it is and what it's capable of. After all, there's a supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 under its hood. Combined with the many benefits SUVs bring, Jeep's neck-wrecking SUV is the ideal package for many enthusiasts. Who are these enthusiasts, specifically? Not just existing Jeep owners, let's put it that way.

According to an interview Muscle Cars and Trucks recently had with the North American Director of the Jeep Brand, Scott Talon, many Trackhawk buyers have been trading in high-performance sports cars, such as the Nissan GT-R.

"We had some pent-up demand from our existing Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT owners, first of all. Next you saw other performance cars come into play… early on the Nissan GT-R popped really high on the list for competitive trades," Tallon said.

"Now they've got a real back seat and acceleration that's comparable to the GT-R in a cozy and quiet SUV that's as docile as you want it to be. Or as crazy as you want it to be… we had sports car buyers coming in the showroom that never would have stepped foot in or considered a Jeep before."

So for any who thought Jeep was a little nuts for stuffing its potent Hellcat V8 under the hood of the Grand Cherokee, well, the results now speak for themselves. Sure, you can go crazy fast in a GT-R, or any of its competition, but as Tallon pointed out, one does not get SUV creature comforts. "They don't want something that they have to park seven months out of the year, but they like the speed and the performance. But they need a daily driver, and this is that customer, and they don't have the garage space for three cars," he added.

However, while Jeep remains thrilled of the new customers the Trackhawk has attracted, the fact remains it never would have become a reality if it weren't for existing customers. "Grand Cherokee SRT customers was a big part, and that was by design. They've been asking for more, so we gave it and they responded."