When it was unceremoniously revealed in spy pictures a few months ago, the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee was met with skepticism and criticism. This is how they bring back the legendary Cherokee, with a front-drive, European-knockoff crossover? But the ruckus seems to have settled down, and like it or not, the Cherokee will probably do well (especially with the ladies).
Rumor has it though the fellas will have something sportier to look forward to as well. AllPar is reporting that the Jeep Cherokee could be given the SRT treatment. That raises a number of questions, though this could give the skeptics and critics reason to reconsider the new Cherokee.
The top-tier engine for the Jeep Cherokee is a 271 horsepower Pentastar V6 with 239 ft-lbs of torque. Respectable, for sure, and it’ll even come with a 9-speed transmission to deliver decent fuel economy. But where does that leave a SRT version of the Cherokee? AllPar claims a 375 horsepower single-turbo version of the Pentastar V6 is in the works, and could debut in the Cherokee SRT.
Another option is the 2.4 liter turbo engine that just debuted in the 2014 Dodge Dart GT. While this engine only makes 184 horsepower in the Dart, other automakers are putting out much more power out of much smaller engines. And though we think it is highly unlikely, and probably even impossible, there is always the off-chance that Chrysler shoehorns a HEMI V8 into the Cherokee. That might be too much to hope for though, huh?
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