Chrysler Street and Racing Technology (SRT) organization has demonstrated it knows no boundaries when it created the first four-wheel-drive SRT vehicle, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8®. It’s the quickest, most powerful Jeep vehicle ever created, offering astonishing on-road and all-weather ability and power.
With a 0-60 mph time in under 5 seconds – in wet or dry conditions – it’s quicker than competitors such as Porsche Cayenne Turbo and BMW X5.
Powered by a 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 producing 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 420 lb.-ft. of torque (569 N•m), the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 delivers a complete performance package, with exceptional ride and handling, world-class braking, race-inspired interior appointments and functional, performance-oriented exterior enhancements.
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2009
EXTERIOR
• New exterior colors Modern Blue Pearl Coat and Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat replace Steel Blue Pearl Coat and Black Clear Coat
• Rear-window opening added to key fob
INTERIOR
• Performance Pages reconfigurable display (can display performance information including longitudinal and lateral g-force, 0-60 mph acceleration time, 1/8-mile and 1/4-mile acceleration time, and speed and braking distance)
• 9-inch DVD screen viewing area
• Leather interior upgrade
• Leather wrap added to upper front and rear door bolsters and armrest
• Leather-wrapped cluster brow on instrument panel
• New shift knob cap with “Jeep” name
DESIGN
The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8’s bold exterior design makes it stand out in the crowd. The front fascia not only looks good, but provides aerodynamic benefits by reducing lift and drag, while providing sufficient air flow to cool the 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 engine. The front fascia also helps increase brake system cooling through integrated air ducts.
The rear fascia incorporates an aggressive center cutout to accommodate dual four-inch exhaust tips. Sill extensions result in another functional enhancement by creating downforce.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s SRT8’s cabin features the SRT signature race-inspired interior. Race-inspired seats with added bolstering and a performance fabric insert keep occupants firmly in place under spirited driving conditions. A dark slate gray interior color, accent stitching on the seats and a unique SRT-designed leather-wrapped steering wheel are some of the highlights. Full instrumentation includes a 180-mph (300-kph) speedometer, tachometer and temperature gauges, all trimmed with a unique blue accent.
For rear-seat passenger comfort and convenience, the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 continues to offer SIRIUS BackSeat TV™. SIRIUS Backseat TV features three channels of respected children’s TV featuring many of the most well-known kids’ programming, including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. SIRIUS Backseat TV operates via an in-vehicle satellite video receiver and two small roof-mounted antennas.
ENGINEERING
SRT engineers created the first SRT vehicle with full-time four-wheel drive by creating a new transfer case. They used the front half of a Jeep transfer case, chosen for its capability and light weight, and mated it to the rear half of a heavier-duty case, chosen for its ruggedness and ability to house electronic full-time, four-wheel-drive system components.
Under normal driving conditions, five to 10 percent of torque is directed to the front wheels, but as much of the 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8’s torque that’s needed can be directed forward when additional traction or stability is required. Remaining torque is sent via a heavy-duty driveshaft to a Dana 44 rear axle.
Providing horsepower and torque to the unique SRT four-wheel-drive system is a specially tuned version of the 6.1-liter SRT HEMI® engine, which was developed by adding more displacement, increasing the compression ratio and redesigning the cylinder heads, intake and exhaust systems for better flow and increased engine speed (versus the 5.7-liter HEMI).
Power from the SRT 6.1-liter HEMI is sent through a special torque converter to an SRT-upgraded, five-speed automatic transmission with specially calibrated driver-selectable Auto Stick, which offers fully automatic or manual shift selection.
Chassis setup for the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 employs SRT-tuned dampers, unique sway bars and specially tailored spring rates and suspension bushings. Front suspension knuckles were redesigned to accommodate high-performance braking and steering systems. The ride height of the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is one inch lower than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which lowers aerodynamic drag as well as the center of gravity, and contributes to the vehicle’s stability and aggressive stance.
The braking system on the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 features four-piston performance brake calipers developed by Brembo, finished in red. These calipers work with 360 mm x 32 mm vented rotors up front, and 350 mm x 28 mm vented rotors in the rear.
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8® is the quickest, most powerful Jeep vehicle ever
• Powered by the 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 producing 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 420 lb.-ft. (569 N•m) of torque, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8’s powertrain and performance-tuned ride and handling offer a world-class performance SUV experience
• Quicker than Porsche Cayenne Turbo, BMW X5
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the first Jeep SRT vehicle, offering on-road and all-weather ability and performance
• Specially developed four-wheel-drive system offers highly capable performance
• SRT performance: 0-60 mph in under five seconds, 0-100-0 in low 19-second range, 60-0 mph in approximately 125 feet
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 formula
• Functional, performance-oriented exterior design, featuring 20-inch SRT wheels, front and rear fascias with air dam and cooling ducts; race-inspired interior appointments that include deeply bolstered seating and comprehensive instrumentation; benchmark braking; and world-class ride and handling characteristics
• The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is part of a broad lineup of SRT vehicles developed under the credo, “Race inspired, street legal”
SAFETY AND SECURITY
• Active Turn Signals
• Adjustable Pedals
• Advanced Multi-stage Air Bags
• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
• Auto-reverse Sun Roof
• BeltAlert
• Brake Assist
• Brake/Park Interlock
• LATCH (Lower Anchor and Tethers for CHildren)
• Digressive Load-limiting Seat Belt Retractors
• Electronic Roll Mitigation
• Electronic Stability Program
• Energy-absorbing Steering Wheel and Column
• Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS)
• Express-up/down Front-door Windows
• Four-wheel Brake Traction Control System
• Head Restraints in All Outboard Seating Positions
• HomeLink Universal Home Security System Transceiver
• Interior Head Support Protection
• Knee Bolsters
• Low-risk Deployment Air Bag
• ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System
• ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera
• Rain-sensitive Wipers
• Remote Keyless Entry
• Seat Belt Pretensioners
• Sentry Key® Engine Immobilizer Theft Deterrent System
• Side-curtain Air Bags with Roll-Detection System
• SmartBeam® Headlamps
• Three-point Belts in All Seating Positions
• Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPM) with Warning Indicator
• uconnect phone
COLOR AVAILABILITY
• Bright Silver Metallic Clear Coat
• Brilliant Black Crystal Clear Coat (new for 2009)
• Inferno Red Crystal Clear Coat
• Modern Blue Pearl Clear Coat (new for 2009)
MANUFACTURING INFORMATION
• 2009 model year production start: September 2008
• Production location: Jefferson Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit
• 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 engine: Saltillo Engine Plant in Saltillo, Mexico
• Five-speed automatic transmission: Indiana Transmission I in Indianapolis
MARKET POSITION
The combination of Jeep’s four-wheel-drive leadership and the SRT-developed 6.1-liter HEMI® maximizes the Grand Cherokee SRT8’s performance in all weather conditions, resulting in the quickest, most powerful Jeep vehicle ever. Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8’s extreme performance is complemented by key SRT attributes, including functional, performance-oriented styling, world-class ride and handling, and benchmark braking, coupled with race-inspired interior appointments.
DEMOGRAPHICS
• Gender: 80 percent male/20 percent female
• Median Age: 36-55 years old
• Median Annual Household Income: $100,000
• Education: 65 percent college graduate
• Household: 75 percent married, primarily post-family
• Occupation: mix of executive, managerial and professional
MARKET ADVANTAGES
• The most powerful Jeep vehicle ever – quicker than Porsche Cayenne Turbo and BMW X5
• On-road and all-weather ability and performance with a specially developed four-wheel-drive system
• Powered by the 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 producing 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 420 lb.-ft. (569 N•m) of torque
• SRT performance: 0-60 mph in under five seconds, 0-100-0 in the low-19-second range, 60-0 mph in approximately 125 feet
• Functional, performance-oriented exterior design and race-inspired interior appointments
• Benchmark braking
• World-class ride-and-handling characteristics across a dynamic range
• Benchmark performance at the best price
