The formula is fairly simple. Start with a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, rated at 420 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, then make the five-speed transmission shift like it should, strengthen the full-time transfer case, and enlarge the Dana 44 rear axle to get all that power to the wheels. Next, add four-piston Brembo brakes with 14-inch rotors, reprogram the ESP (to allow the driver to use a little wheel spin and throttle control when needed), use unique anti-sway bars, lower the vehicle by one inch overall, recalibrate the bushings, and put monotube Bilstein shocks at all four corners.
The result is a Jeep that thinks it's a supercar. At the track, our SRT8 ran to 60 mph from standing start in 4.8 seconds, and stopped from 60 mph in 124 feet (that's pretty close to a Corvette).Inside the SRT8 uses heavily bolstered Jeep Commander seats, and adds blue rings and numbers to the gauges. In addition, the speedo goes up to 180 mph, aluminum highlights offer a nice sparkle, and for a final touch, carbon fiber trim, is added to the shift lever. A new front-end and grille are designed to reduce lift on the 4,800-pound sled. In back, the rearend is dominated by a centrally located pair of four-inch exhaust outlets. The all-wheel-drive transfer case won't allow burnouts, but we do like how quickly the gearbox clicks off the shifts at wide open throttle. It corners nearly flat and responds so crisply SRT had to intentionally slow down the steering ratio. On the downside, brake pedal input is a bit quick and brings more nose dip than you might expect, and the actual payload capacity is only 750 pounds--200 less than a Suzuki Aerio. Although there is no "Trail Rated" badge on this Jeep, the "Hemi" badge more than makes up for it.
