[Liles]

We all know SRT loves to nuts with performance versions of Jeeps and Dodges, whether it's the Demon, Hellcat or Trackhawk.

I was watching this video of a modified Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and it got me thinking, do you think we'll see a SRT or Trackhawk edition of the Wagoneer when it comes out? I wouldn't hold it past them to do something crazy like that.

 

[Simcoe]

If I were to guess, I think it's going to happen, they can turn the Wagoneer into a performance monster kind of like what Alpina is doing with the BMW X7.

 

[Liles]

If I were to guess, I think it's going to happen, they can turn the Wagoneer into a performance monster kind of like what Alpina is doing with the BMW X7.

That would be very cool, it seems that there might be a trend here for performance 7-seater SUVs.

 

[Simcoe]

For reference, here's a video of the Alpina XB7 going around the Nurburgring. It's crazy to see a SUV that big on the track.

 

[Liles]

For reference, here's a video of the Alpina XB7 going around the Nurburgring. It's crazy to see a SUV that big on the track.

It's performing way better than I expected for a 7-seater SUV. It sounds great too!

 

[offcourse]

BMW always impresses with performance so i'm not surprised.

 

[Liles]

BMW always impresses with performance so i'm not surprised.

That's very true, I can only imagine what kind of testing a SUV this size goes through when someone like Alpina modifies it.

 

[Liles]

So Jeep could actually be making a Trackhawk version of the Wagoneer.

In 2018, Road and Track found an internal document from German powertrain component maker ZF makes mention of a new Jeep model with the platform designation WS. The ZF document, which dates to the beginning of this year, shows a list of 2018 production and pre-production vehicles using versions of the ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission.

The section pertaining to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer confirms that the platform will be called WS and will utilize a version of the 8HP transmission. Puzzlingly, it also refers to a model called the "Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk," which, according to the document, dates back to April and May of 2017. The ZF document indicates that the Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk uses a 6.2-liter V8 making 729 PS, or roughly 718 horsepower—a number that's nearly identical to the 717-horsepower output of the updated-for-2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.

The transmission code listed for the Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk is ZF-8HP95X, which denotes a high-torque variant of the 8HP. This transmission is currently used in the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, as well as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, as shown below. No other variants of the Wagoneer or Grand Wagoneer are listed in the ZF document.

What could this mean? When reached by Road & Track, an FCA spokesperson denied knowledge of any plans for a Hellcat-powered Grand Wagoneer.

We see a few possibilities here. Perhaps FCA built a handful of Grand Wagoneer prototypes with the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat engine for testing purposes in 2017, then abandoned the project. It's also possible that the vehicles indicated in the ZF document were really prototypes for an updated Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with the 717-horsepower engine (though such a vehicle has not been confirmed by FCA). Perhaps it's just a tantalizing typo, an error on ZF's part that we're reading far too much into.

Whatever it is, we like the sound of it. A three-row SUV with the heart of a Hellcat sounds like a great way to haul six or seven people around swiftly.

 

[WagoneerFan]

I think whatever performance trims we get here will have a more subtle design so it won't look out of place next to an Escalade, Navigator, etc.

 

[Liles]

I think whatever performance trims we get here will have a more subtle design so it won't look out of place next to an Escalade, Navigator, etc.

You think? I would think that a Trackhawk Grand Wagoneer would stand out compared to an escalade or navigator.