Grand Cherokee SRT

Make
Jeep
Segment
SUV

Unconventional races involving cars aren't anything new (the Blue Train Races in the 1920s and 1930s are perhaps the most famous early examples of this), but they do appear to have picked up in popularity in the 21st Century. Whether it's the myriad of Top Gear challenges, off-beat viral videos or even racing games, they really seem to strike a chord with some people. As a result, even consumer-focused motoring magazines like Auto Express are now getting in on the act.

In this particular instance, Auto Express' Editor-At-Large, James Batchelor, pits the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 against a rather unusual machine: a Silence SA1100 Twister single-seater stunt plane. Furthermore, the challenge itself consists of a two-lap race around Blyton Park - a tight and twisty course that, you could cynically argue, neither machine is well suited for.

Still, as it's a venue that'll keep Batchelor and the stunt plane pilot on their toes, the race itself should be quite an interesting one. Having both vehicles commence the challenge from a standing start (thus meaning the pilot will first need to take off from the ground before he can even start thinking about chasing down the Jeep). Who'll win is anyone's guess at the moment. As with our report on what the British motoring press made of the Dodge Durango (coincidentally, t'was also an Auto Express video...), we haven't actually seen the video all the way to the end, so we've no idea how close the race ends up being. Fingers crossed the finish is a close one.