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"If you remember the first generation , you remember a most impractical SUV, but one capable of performing better than so many so-called sports cars. I remember fondly our &amp;quot;Chariots with Fire&amp;quot; comparison test where the Jeep SRT8 demonstrated its ability with brutal all-wheel-drive power slides. A real hoot for sure, but with its center mounted exhaust and ultra low chin spoiler, completely impractical for anything other than terrorizing sports car owners on back roads. Which is a completely valid reason for existence, but 2012 sees the concept refined, if not reigned in.   New Power   Gone is the 6.1-liter ohv V-8. In its place is the newly introduced 6.4-liter that pulls harder with 470 bhp and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. That&amp;#039;s 50 extra ponies and 45 more of twist than was previously available. Improving efficiency is a cylinder deactivation system that gives this utmost of an EPA city/highway fuel economy rating of 12/18 mpg.   Video window may take a few moments to load...         Anger Management   A center console mounted knob controls the Selec-Track drive system. The knob has five settings: Snow, Tow, Auto, Sport and Track. Each setting affects the adaptive dampers, transmission shift strategy, throttle response, cylinder deactivation, rear-limited-slip differential lock up and transfer case torque distribution. In Snow the torque distribution front to rear is equal, but as the knob moves towards Track the Jeep gains a rear-drive bias working with the electronically controlled rear diff that tries to predict necessary lock-up as the driver asks for greater traction through steering and throttle application. The system is capable of up to a 35/65 front/rear split. It helps that the Hemi is tugging on the asphalt of the Big Track at Willow Springs Raceway through sticky 295/45ZR-20 Pirelli PZeros summer tires. An all-season tire is standard, but we&amp;#039;re in the middle of summer so we enjoyed the added grip while pulling all-wheel-drive drifts around the famous Omega curve. A bigger power-steering pump and cooler have been incorporated and even around the track the steering was consistent. In fact there was nothing that resisted the abuse of continual hot lapping. Sure, after a few hours the tires looked like day-old chewing gum stuck to the bottom of my shoe, but tires are consumables. The brake pads even held up well and weren&amp;#039;t dumping out dust clouds every lap\u2014the wheels looked decently clean all day.           Bigger Is Better   Inside those massive 20-in. wheels are equally massive 6-piston Brembo aluminum calipers chomping on 15.0-in. rotors in front and 4-pistons on 13.8-in. rotors in the rear. They&amp;#039;re necessary, though, as this 5150-lb. angry elephant can do damage if left unrestrained.   Practicality Not Forgotten   A sore spot in the past was the center mounted exhaust that made towing a challenge. That&amp;#039;s been remedied with a standard tow package that&amp;#039;s capable of 5000 lb. Greater interior volume means the passengers are more comfortable, and the Jeep SRT8 is good for high-speed adventure trips with family or friends. For reference, my 6-ft. frame doesn&amp;#039;t hit its head on the roof, even with a helmet in a non-sunroof-equipped car.           From The Hot Seat   It could have been hot Rosamond, California being sunny and 90 degrees on the thermometer, but the seat coolers were doing their job and the optional Harman Kardon stereo was rocking. The Harmon package incorporates a new 32-volt class D audio system for improved efficiency in driving 19 speakers. I&amp;#039;m not a complete audio geek, but appreciate the combination of my personal living room setup that incorporates a NAD amp and Snell towers for their precise sound stage, however this system&amp;#039;s clarity makes the car&amp;#039;s space disappear and shames my living room. I&amp;#039;ve listened to some high-end systems, and this one takes the cake. I briefly contemplated the complications of life if I were to move out of my place and into an SRT8 Jeep. A new car payment sounds better than rent, and the Jeep comes well furnished. When the green flag waves, I snap out of this daydream and the throttle goes down. As does the audio system so I can hear the engine&amp;#039;s healthy growl. Unlike other rear-drive SRT8 models, the Jeep&amp;#039;s all-wheel drive produces some mechanical whine that reminds me of the noises from a . Good noises, mind you; angry, noshing, mechanical furry noises. You can almost associate the varying sounds with the transfer case working to distribute torque at corner apex as you roll onto the throttle. It&amp;#039;s reassuring that the power is put to all four wheels, and makes it easy to get on the throttle early, but it requires a little patience to get a good exit. I found it best to lift right before apex and force the big Jeep to point into the corner before mashing the throttle and powering out of the slight drift that is induced. With stability control disabled, there is no obvious electronic intervention, although I suspect that roll-over mitigation is undefeatable. We&amp;#039;ll have to take it through our standard slalom test to determine that for sure, though.           Singular Quirk   A singular quirk would be the 5-speed automatic transmission that like the other SRT8 models&amp;#039; doesn&amp;#039;t rev-match on downshifts. Which is a shame, as the paddles on the back of the excellent 3-spoke steering wheel only encourage manual gear selection. A saving grace is that the weight transfer occurring from a 3-2 downshift is useful in rotating the Jeep into the corner during braking, and with the all-wheel drive it&amp;#039;s a non-issue to counter.   Dressed To Impress   Clearly the exterior is a muscled-up Jeep Grand Cherokee, but it&amp;#039;s not just about looking cool. The hood vents are completely functional and from the drivers seat the left one is just visible, a reminder that you&amp;#039;re in something visually unique. A wishes it looked this good. Even without the leather dash option package the standard trim is carbon fiber. There&amp;#039;s no blah version of the Jeep SRT8, and for a starting price of $54,470 there&amp;#039;s apparently only a wow, gotta-get-me-one-of-these available.          "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a17417/2012-jeep-grand-cherokee-srt8-1/>