2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Release Date, Price

Released in 2010, the Grand Cherokee is one of the last cars made by the FCA Group on the old Mercedes-based platform. A redesign is scheduled for the near future, but until then Jeep has a surprise for us. Not that long ago the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been spied wearing no camouflage, and it is quite impressive. While the design did not change much, it seems the car did receive a new trim level.

This will likely be called the “Trackhawk” and it is set to become one of the fastest SUVs ever made. Like with most other special editions, this also likely means that the current generation of the Grand Cherokee is nearing the end of its life, so alongside the new Trackhawk, we may also see other limited edition models.

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Release Date

The sightings of new Grand Cherokee are getting more and more frequent these days. The photos we acquired recently show a model that wears almost no camouflage. The appearance of this SUV fully exposed means only one thing. The production model is at out doorsteps. Most talks about this model revolved around new performance installment which will be called Trackhawk. From excitement that followed the imminent introduction of a 707hp SUV, most of the people forgot that in order to get a performance vehicle you need to have a regular one.

The Jeep CEO Mike Manley confirmed that long rumored Hellcat Cherokee, which will now go under the name we mentioned above, is going to be presented before the 2017 ends. Well, Mike is not a man that is going to go back on his word so we can expect that 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee release date is going to precede the release of the Trachawk version. This turn of events must prompt the Toledo-based company to release its (at least for now) premium SUV in coming months.

The presentation will be held at on of the North American auto shows; we just don’t know on which one, yet. New York Auto Show is right ahead of us, so we doubt that it will happen there. If we look only at the big ones that are incoming, we have to turn our heads in the direction of Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Which one will it be? This question remains unanswered by now, but stay tuned we will keep you updated.

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Price, Chassis and Running Gear

Rumors about a high-performance Grand Cherokee started a couple of years back. Ever since then people loved the idea of a Hellcat-powered SUV. Unfortunately, Jeep was quick to dismiss most rumors, but this changed a while ago when they stopped doing it. This is because Jeep went ahead and started developing this rumored model which is set to change the SUV world from now on. The car’s price is still unknown but considering all the engineering that went into it, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it will cost near $100,000 thus becoming the most expensive Jeep to date.

In order to cope with the added power, the new 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk would also get an improved suspension setup. So far it still is unclear what the changes are, though. From most spy shots, it seems it sits at the same height as the SRT, and the brakes seem similar to those on the lesser model. We wouldn’t be surprised if they just used the same setup as on the SRT with beefed up shocks and stiffer springs to better handle the roll through corners.

Design

The regular version of the Grand Cherokee will likely remain mostly unchanged. They might add new paint schemes, but that should be it. The Trackhawk, on the other hand, will change slightly. The car is actually based on the SRT so it features a very similar design. The front bumper gets a little larger center intake with brake cooling ducts instead of fog-lamps. The headlights are identical to the previous model but the grille is slimmer than before, and under the grille, there is a set of three small intakes that likely feed fresh air to the air cleaner. The rear of the Trackhawk seems to be identical to the regular SRT with the same type of exhaust and diffuser. Other changes include wider tires and smaller rims that should provide more feedback to the driver.

Inside the Cabin

So far not much has been released about the interior of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Considering it is nearing the end of its production and it did receive an update not that long ago, we would assume not much will change. The Trackhawk will likely be nearly identical to the SRT, and it might borrow some features from the Hellcat cars. Likely the seats are going to be improved while the steering wheel might be replaced by a Hellcat one.

Under the Hood

The most impressive part about the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be its engine. While the usual cars will remain unchanged, the Trackhawk will receive a brand new engine for Jeep. Instead of the usual 6.4 liters, HEMI found in the SRT, the Trackhawk will be given a smaller 6.2 liter V8 but with a supercharged added to it. This is known to make 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque which is a massive improvement over the SRT. From the looks of it, the Trackhawk might feature all-wheel drive. If this is the case, then it has the chance to become one of the fastest accelerating SUVs in the World.

The usual rear wheel drive Hellcat cars can get to 60 MPH in well under 4 seconds. The Grand Cherokee should be able to be even faster with the added grip. The transmission is expected to be the same eight-speed automatic as the Charger Hellcat. This has proven to be very reliable and more than capable to handle all that power.