Even though the Jeep® brand gave us a good look at what the iconic SUV brand intends to bring to market next year with the launch of the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer (WS), the brand was very quiet about what powertrain combinations would make it to production. While many expect that the award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with eTorque and 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with eTorque to make the cut given that they are already in the Ram 1500 which the Wagoneer twins are based on, but a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain will also join the lineup.
That being said, over a year ago, a document was released on the internet by Road & Track magazine from German component supplier ZF about a new variant of its 8HP95 8-speed automatic transmission dubbed “8HP95X”. The 8HP95 is currently used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. However, the document stated it was being scheduled to be mated with the supercharged 6.2-liter HELLCAT HEMI V8 on an upcoming Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk.
The news came only a few weeks after FCA’s Captial Markets Day presentation, in which the Jeep brand announced it would expand its brand portfolio by the evolution and expansion of its Trailhawk, new Deserthawk, Trackhawk, and Urban lineups. This means, that the Grand Cherokee doesn’t unnecessarily have to be the only Trackhawk model in the lineup.
Car News Network released their idea of what their take of what a Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk would look like. The full-size boxy body of the Grand Wagoneer looks to be at home on the street and there is no doubt that such a vehicle would be the most expensive Jeep production ever built. With the current Grand Cherokee Trackhawk already hitting $100,000, we wouldn’t be surprised a Grand Wagoneer version would top around $125,000.
Jeep has proven that it can sell pretty much whatever it builds. With performance vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 caught testing on the streets, there is no doubt that the Jeep brand is looking at expanding its performance portfolio across the lineup.
