Jeep’s ballistic Grand Cherokee Trackhawk to cost $134,900

It will put some supercars to shame in the sprint to 100km/h and it comes with a price tag to match the performance.

More than 200 owners have signed up for the most insane petrol-powered SUV in the country — and they now know they’ll need $134,900 (before on-road costs) to complete the deal.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is a 2.4-tonne track-focused SUV capable of a supercar-shaming 3.7-second run to 100km/h.

To achieve that outrageous acceleration, the Trackhawk uses a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine with 522kW/868Nm.

In comparison, Australia’s last locally made supercar, the HSV W1, employs the same capacity engine and the same induction system but only manages 474kW/815Nm and a 4.2-second run to 100km/h.

The Trackhawk uses slightly more fuel on the official combined cycle at 16.8 litres/100km but costs $35,000 less than the limited-edition HSV was sold for — and the big SUV can tow up to 2.9 tonnes.

The interior focus is on a comfortable drive, even at warp speeds. Picture: supplied

Jeep Australia spokesman Dave Harding says local deliveries should start by March. Unlike the W1 the Trackhawk isn’t a limited edition, though global demand for the vehicle means there’s be an initial wait for buyers who haven’t already signed up for their SUV supercar.

Jeep claims the Trackhawk is the most powerful V8 soft-roader on the planet and Australian CEO Steve Zanlunghi says it takes the company’s extreme performance ethos off the trails and onto the tarmac.

“In terms of value for money in the performance segment, it will be difficult to find anything else that comes close,” he says.

Equipment includes an 8.4-inch touchscreen with satnav and smartphone mirroring, a 19-speaker stereo, Brembo brakes and adaptive dampers.

Active safety gear runs to autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control; blind-spot and lane-departure alerts, rear cross-traffic monitoring, tyre pressure monitors and trailer-sway control.

The Trackhawk’s SUV heritage means it can still tow almost three tonnes. Picture: supplied

The price is about $5000 less than Jeep Australia initially indicated the Trackhawk would cost. Owners should invest the difference in anticipation of buying replacement brake pads and tyres should they regularly tap the vehicle’s potential.

The Grand Cherokee SRT will continue to be sold for those chasing a high-performance SUV without the six-figure price-tag and race-oriented suspension. The SRT is no slouch at 4.9-seconds to 100km/h … but the Trackhawk takes the performance to another dimension.