Hellcat-Powered Grand Cherokee Spotted Testing

Hellcat Powered Jeep Grand Cherokee (Credit: © Jeep)

Everybody knows it is coming, but I still get quite giddy when new Grand Cherokee Hellcat news rolls out. Today, courtesy of Chris Doane Automotive, we have a spy video (below) showing the blown people hauler doing its thing.

The video doesn’t give up a pile of information, but it does give us proof that the automaker is indeed working on this beast. In the video, you can hear the distinct grumble of a V-8 powerplant underscored by the whine of a supercharger as the Grand Cherokee accelerates hard for 100, or so, feet then backs up to redo its launch.

One thing I did notice in this video is the apparent lack of smoldering vulcanized rubber, which can only mean that Jeep is testing the thought of allowing the Hellcat engine to deliver its oomph to all four wheels. My assumption is that Jeep, who has shown concern in the past about its all-wheel-drive system holding up to the grunt of this supercharged 6.2-liter, is putting the aforementioned system through hundreds of full-throttle launches. From the video, it looks like the system is holding up.

With that said, I am sure there are still plenty of tests that the Grand Cherokee has to go through before coming up with a final determination on its drivetrain setup. Jeep has to tread very carefully, as the last thing it needs is to release this beast with all-wheel drive and have that 6.2-liter’s 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque rip the drivetrain to shreds in 10,000 miles.

One part of this model that remains a bit uncertain is its name. There have been reports that Jeep will build upon its “Hawk” naming scheme and make this the Trackhawk, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Keep it locked here for the latest on the Hellcat-powered Grand Cherokee, as we’re closely monitoring its progress and will update you as soon as new info pops up.