Grand Cherokee

Make
Jeep
Segment
SUV

FCA has been doing a really good job of building buzz for the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. We talked about the SUV a bunch last year and a few months ago in Detroit we learned that it was making its grand debut some time in 2017. Lost in the shuffle of the 2016 New York Auto Show was more news about the Trackhawk's release date. According to Australia's Wheels Magazine, the Trackhawk will hit around July 2017. This news comes courtesy of Jeep head honcho Mike Manley, who spoke with the Aussies at the NYAS.

Manley said that the powerful SUV would feature the Hellcat's engine but didn't say whether or not it will be detuned somewhat. He did tell Wheels that it will be "plenty powerful." Hopefully that means 707 horsepower powerful. Also confirmed was that "Hellcat" will not be part of the top-tier Grand Cherokee's name, although "Trackhawk" hasn't officially been confirmed as the name either. High-powered SUVs are becoming more and more common, and with the addition of the Trackhawk (or whatever it's called) Jeep will have two of them. The Grand Cherokee SRT, powered by a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 good for 475 horsepower, isn't expected to go anywhere. European automakers are best known for speedy SUVs, but that looks likely to change.