While Jeep seems content playing a never-ending game of “remember when” with its Rewind editions of the Wrangler and Gladiator, the aftermarket world is busy doing the heavy lifting that the brass in Auburn Hills appears to have forgotten. It took Jeep five agonizing years to finally cough up a Trailhawk version of the current WL Grand Cherokee. The enthusiasts are looking backward to move forward.
Enter the Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk RS Edition. It’s based on the WK2 platform, a chassis that has been haunting dealership lots since 2011. In automotive years, that’s practically a fossil, yet this “dinosaur” just received a heart transplant capable of stopping time.
We’re talking about the legendary 6.2-liter supercharged V8, now massaged to pump out a terrifying 1,210 horses. That’s nearly double the stock 707 HP that used to be the gold standard. The result? A 0-to-60 mph sprint in a sickening 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph. It’s a five-thousand-pound middle finger to physics.
Visually, it’s as subtle as a sledgehammer to the shin. Dressed in white pearl with “Gloss Blood” accents and 24-inch Forgiato rims, it features a three-panel transparent hood. Inside, the “RS Blood” leather and star-studded headliner try to distract you from the fact that the steering wheel and taillights are relics from a decade ago. It’s a supercar in a tuxedo that’s slightly tight around the shoulders.
The real tragedy is that Jeep is leaving money on the table. If Stellantis can find the courage to put a 777-hp V8 in the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX, why are we still waiting for a proper WL-based Trackhawk? Jeep fans don’t want more stickers or “heritage” badges; they want a high-performance SUV that doesn’t require a custom shop and a prayer to beat a Tesla off the line.
