Chrysler design chief Ralph Gilles with SRT8 versions of the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Challenger, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Image: Chrysler

The industry reports are all out, and the 2012 SRT Lineup from Chrysler is set to be the dawn of a new era. Now that the SRT is an actual brand in Chrysler it’s started to receive a lot of dedicated resources that a car line needs to thrive, and the results are becoming apparent. Next year four different vehicles will be a part of the SRT lineup and include the 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8, the Dodge Charger SRT8, Challenger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

For 2011 only the Charger had an SRT package. In addition to the details of each car, pricing has also been set, so we’ll plan to take a look at each car one by one! In addition, it should not be missed that everyone who purchases an SRT vehicle gets a one-day track experience to teach them how to improve the most important part of the car; the driver!

2012 Charger SRT8

Price: $46,660 MSRP, including an $825 shipping and destination fee.

The 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8, will use the 6.4-liter HEMI from Ma Mopar and will boast a total of 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. In addition, a 25% (yes, 25%) increase in highway gas mileage has been made possible by a new active valve exhaust system that allows the cylinder cutoff system to engage over a wider range.

This also benefits in town driving as well, but obviously to a lesser degree. A high-lift camshaft with cam phasing provides the best of both worlds and allows the power and torque curves to be altered at both ends, meaning excellent low end torque and high end power are now “standard” on the 6.4 HEMI. At the lower rpm range, there’s an 80-90 lb-ft bump in torque and for those that like drag racing, or just those that like to launch from stop lights, the difference will be felt immediately.

The hood is on the Charter SRT8 features aggressive indentations which are completely functional, though unlike a standard muscle car hood their purpose is not to suck air in; it’s to let it out.

The hood has actually been designed to relieve negative pressure which actually helps cornering at speed! Also, a paddle shifter is now standard equipment with the AutoStick system, which uses  the W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission.

2012 Challenger SRT8

Price: $44,077 MSRP plus a $1,500 gas guzzler tax for automatic cars, $1000 for manuals.

The Challenger SRT8 will run the same 6.4-liter HEMI as the Charger, featuring 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. This motor, and all of it’s benefits, allow the Challenger SRT8 to run  0-60 in under five seconds,  the quarter mile in mid-12-second range, 0-100-0 mph in the low 15’s, and a frightening 182 mph top speed when equipped with the Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual transmission (175 mph with the five-speed automatic). It can also stop from 60-0 mph in just 117 feet. Corvette ZR1 owners should be worried.

For 2012 the adaptive damping suspension (ADS) has been specifically tuned for the Challenger SRT8 and puts the Challenger as the top handler of the entire SRT8 lineup. It sits a good half inch lower than non-SRT Challengers and has already been recorded with a .90 on the skid pad. For those that were worried that such a heavy tall car wouldn’t be able to handle well, those fears have been quelled.

2012 300 SRT8

Price: $47,995 MSRP

The easiest way to sum up the new 300 SRT8 from a performance perspective may be to simply refer back to the Charger SRT8 section of this article as nearly every performance related aspect from the 6.4L Hemi, suspension, and brakes is either very similar or exactly the same. However, 300C owners generally are in the market for luxury as well, and it’s the inside of the 300C SRT8 that separates it from the SRT8 herd.

Specifically, an available Premium Leather Interior Package includes Poltrona Frau “Foligno” leather wrapped upper door trim panels and instrument panel as well as other interior components. A new 8.4-inch color touchscreen display sits in the dash and provides a plethora of performance related information including the steering angle, vehicle yaw angle, horsepower, and torque outputs along with engine gauges.

Normally we’d say that the 300 is a “Rich Man’s Charger”, but honestly they seem pretty similar in performance and price to us!

Jeep Grand Cherokee RT8. Image: Allpar

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Price: $55,295 MSRP Eentry price.

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, carries the same 6.4L HEMI as the other SRT8 models, but perhaps this one is the most unique in the fact that it’s a hort rod SUV, not a car.

Clearly it is aimed directly at the BMW and Audi SUV market, and with the ability to run 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds and the quarter mile in the mid-13 second range we think it has a shot at winning some business! Just as is the case on the Charger and 300, paddle shifters are standard with the automatic transmission.

The suspension on the SRT8 Cherokee is dropped from stock, and the subtle body touches add greatly to it’s muscular look. On the skidpad it pulled the same G rating as the Challenger, .90g, and we’d have to guess that it’s the best handling Jeep package in the history of the planet.

Unlike the other models in the SRT lineup, this one is all wheel drive and utilizes the standard Jeep Quadra-Trac active on-demand four-wheel-drive transfer case. This system uses sensors to seek a quick movement in the throttle from a stop for the purpose of determining which wheels need help to provide maximizes traction, and the Jeep 4×4 system has the ability transfer up to 100 percent of available torque to one rear wheel.

Next Year

Of course, the one model missing from the lineup is the anticipated new Viper which is expected to arrive in 2013. Ralph Gilles is well aware that a market is present for the Viper, and all of the SRT models simply because he’s aware that enthusiasts do still buy and drive fast cars. “SRT has always made money,” Gilles says, and when factoring in the economic conditions that have been present since the SRT launch in 1992, that’s ringing clear as a bell in Detroit. For Gilles, he’s banking on it and with the SRT lineup he plans to dedicate not only the cars and their abilities to the enthusiasts, but the experience as well.