Even if you only harbour hate in your heart for the concept of an ultra-fast SUV, it's hard to dislike the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk on spec. Any car which boasts a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 is worthy of begrudging respect; when the V8 has 'Hemi' written on it and outputs 710hp, you might be inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt were it stuffed into the bowels of a combine harvester.
The presence of the 'Hellcat' unit, already made very famous by its deployment in the Dodge Challenger, ensured the Trackhawk a certain level of fame right out of the gate - further gilded by SRT's declaration that it was in the business of building the fastest SUV in the world. That sort of claim has since become as nebulous as fastest six-year-old in the world, but no matter. The Trackhawk gets to 62mph in 3.7 seconds and thunders onto a claimed 180mph.
Either figure would likely have been strong enough for Jeep to shift 20 examples in the UK - and so it proved. The unexpected cherry on top was right-hand drive, making the Trackhawk a credible choice for the British buyer even with the potential for truly obscene fuel consumption. At the time, Jeep figured its 2.4 tonne blunderbuss capable of 20.4mpg; an NEDC rating you'd assume is at the NeverEnding Story end of its reporting.
That's all part of the fun, of course - and it's fair to say the Trackhawk is fun in a does-what-it-says-on-tin kind of way. When Matt drove it last year, it was on a cold, damp runway and the left-hand-drive press car still clocked 100mph in 8 seconds and the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds. Which is mighty fast for a svelte, low-riding super-saloon, let alone something with the aerodynamic finesse of a chest freezer.
Factor in the absurd deliciousness of a proper supercharger shriek (not to mention the comforting thought of a full manufacturer's warranty) and overlooking the Trackhawk's less persuasive qualities must've been child's play. "An absolute beast when you put your foot down," is how our seller succinctly puts it, and he would know.
Unfortunately for him, a move overseas has meant his time with 1 of 20 has come to an end prematurely, and with just 1,500 added to the clock. His misfortune is likely to be the next owner's gain because alongside five years transferable warranty, three years free servicing and five years roadside assistance, the fully-loaded, Diamond Black Trackhawk has already lost around £12k in depreciation. That hardly makes it a steal - but it adds to the small pile of things to like about Jeep's own Falkor.
SPECIFICATION - JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TRACKHAWK
Engine: 6,166cc supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 710@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 645@4,800rpm
MPG: 20.4 (claimed)
CO2: TBC
First registered: 2019
Recorded mileage: 1,500
Price new: £89,995
Price now: £77,900
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