IL Track Tested: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 vs. 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo

I don't care how much weight was gained/lost
5k+ is too heavy for both. Both are soft-roaders now
BD

I just noticed the Porches wears all season tires vs the Jeeps summer rubber!

Porches = Porsche. Can we get an edit button?

I'd buy that Jeep SRT8 strap on a blower, and just embarrass that Porsche all day. Oh and i'd start a pretty sweet CD with that 70K i saved.

I'm sure when the Jeep gets a new 8 speed trans, the acceleration times will improve.

Not really surprising that the Porsche is the better vehicle... It's not as though buyers will cross-shop these anyway so these comparison mean nothing outside of internet fan boy moronism.

Porches = Porsche. Can we get an edit button?

where's the X5 M?

@ gtrguy2012

Be careful when talking about the whole "I'd buy the cheaper one and mod it up for less" argument.

That is still a twin turbo V8 in the Porsche. It won't be long before an owner can take that to a halfway competent tuner and get closer to 600 hp out of it for the cost of a good tune.

You'll spend way more on the mods for the JGCSRT-8 blower motor and you'll be more likely to suffer from reliability than the Porsche will.

That being said, I used to own the 2007 Jeep SRT and LOVED it! It ticks me off that this one costs more, is heavier (which cancels out the power increase), and slower.

I think they have the right idea about keeping the JGCSRT-8 model, but failed in the execution. I mean C'mon Chrysler.... 470hp from an NA 6.4 engine? And still with the 5AT tranny? You guys are about 10 years behind the times. What a let down.

Hopefullt the next year's 8 speed (which is too many by the way) will see a little power bump as well.

It would be awesome if JEEP would turbo charge V6 and put in 8 speed.

That 109 mph trap on the Cayenne is very impressive.

With being half the price to deal with, i give props to the jeep for coming close to the same specs. I mean, if they did another 50K of work on it, im sure it could be better performer. So for a budget you get quite a lot.(which seems like a pattern for the new GC models, in respect to equipment and performance). However, the Porsche is better looking and you can't complain about numbers like that; price aside.

As for the comment about these two cars not being cross shopped. You'd have to be out of your mind to think that it would be passed up. BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, and Jeep are the only ones who seem to be coming out with SUVs like this. What it comes down to is that you don't have enough high performance SUVs on the market to ignore it all together, especially with numbers like that. So without even looking too hard, you can see that its very much in the same buyers pool.

i'm still moping about the giant twin-center exhaust tips... i think i'll have to get an old SRT8.

I think that there is room for acceleration improvement for JGC, because Chrysler claimed 4.8 seconds. They also claimed high fours for Charger SRT8, and you achieved 4.6s.

When you first tested 2006 JGS SRT in 2005 you achieve worse results than 2007 JGC which you tested in 2009 alongside Cayenne Turbo S.

2006 JGC SRT8
Track Test Results
0-45 mph (sec.) 3.5
0-60 mph (sec.) 5.2
0-75 mph (sec.) 7.8
1/4-mile (sec. @ mph) 13.49 @ 102.24
Braking, 30-0 mph (ft.) 30.1
60-0 mph (ft.) 120.0
Slalom, 6 x 100 ft. (mph) 63.9
Skid pad, 200-ft. diameter (lateral g) 0.9

...........................2007 JGC SRT8..........2012 JGC SRT8.........2011 Cayenne Turbo
0-30 (sec):........................1.6..................1.8 .................................1.8
0-45 (sec):........................3.0..................3.2..................................3.1
0-60 (sec): ......................4.7..................5.1..................................4.6
0-75 (sec): ......................7.3..................7.5 .................................6.7
1/4 Mile (sec@mph):..13.4 @ 102.3.........13.4 @ 101.8..................12.8 @ 109
60-0 (ft):.........................128..................112 .................................108
Skid pad(g): ...................0.84..................0.87................................0.94
Slalom.............................61.9..................67.2 ...............................67.0
Db @ 70 mph Cruise:.......69.7..................65.4................................65.5

Old Cherokee was faster than Cayenne because it was 700lb lighter, but in everything else was subpar.
But new Jeep SRT8 can outhandle a Porsche in the slalom, brakes as good as Porsche, and is quiet on the highway cruise as Porsche Cayenne. New JGC SRT8 has much nicer interior, but of course Cayenne's cabin is significantly more luxurious.

http://www.insideline.com/jeep/grand-cherokee-srt-8/2006/follow-up-test-2006-jeep-grand-cherokee-srt8.html
http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2009/08/il-track-tested-2007-jeep-grand-cherokee-srt8-vs-2009-porsche-cayenne-turbo-s.html

And one must keep in mind that Jeep must leave some room for the Maserati version of Grand Cherokee with Ferrari engine, dual-clutch F1 gearbox, different suspension, lighter materials,...

Damn, too bad about that 500 extra pounds. Please bring the 8 speed ASAP

@brankobox, exactly. Who cares if it lost a few tenths in a straight line if it gained everywhere else.

I would invite anyone who has mention getting the 8 speed what exactly they think that will help here? This motor has torque literally everywhere, more gears isn't going to speed it up. You might get a few more mpg out of it, but performance wise there is no benefit to more cogs here.

@coloradosilver, had to lol at saying a twin turbo v8 will be more reliable than an N/A (or even SC) pushrod v8. There is no engine more reliable than a pushrod v8, please see exhibit A, the short block chevy.

Also, I have to ask whats up with having two different drivers? This makes the comparison worthless.

5.1 to 60 and 55k base! That is pretty disappointing, I'm regretting selling my '06 SRT8 now to buy my '11 Overland.

How is a model you didn't buy's specs making you disappointed about your purchase?

Hate to be THAT guy, but split the price difference and give me an E63 Wagon. These SUVs, especially the Porsche, fall quite short on the "U" part and at over 2.5 tons can't match up on the "S" part either. What a waste. (though Porsche and BMW seem to almost defy physics with these hot rod SUVs).

@lostboyz

I was planning on getting one next year and for the extra cost (12k more for a base model SRT than my loaded Overland) and slower times it is disappointing. I have regretted selling the old one ever since I got the '11, thought I would enjoy the luxury over performance but I was wrong and refuse to pay 60k for a Jeep.

I guess I can see that if you only cared about straight line speed. The new platform is something like 50% stiffer than the previous one, so that weight gain (though significant) is going towards things that make it an all around better car. You should be the first to notice the difference between the spartan 2010 and prior jgc (even overland) and the new base one. Personally I would take handling and comfort for a couple tenths loss on straight line acceleration. I mean were you drag racing with it before, the only place where any of this matters?

The fact of the matter is, the niche market of fast SUVs exists mostly in the luxury realm. The old one just doesn't fit there, this one does.

Meh, about the results I expected.

The SRT-8 is really a bit of a letdown, imo. Not because of anything to do w/ the Porsche, but because of it's own caveats. For instance, they increase the power, but the gain has increased so much it's not any quicker. They still use that archaic 5-sp. And to top it all off, it's gotten pricier. And I did expect to see better numbers from it.

As for the Cayenne, well, those are some incredible numbers, espec for an SUV. Of course, that's due in part to it's price, and lack of off-road intentions. Still impressive, nonetheless. I still prefer the Porsche models w/ two doors.

"It ticks me off that this one costs more, is heavier (which cancels out the power increase), and slower."

BINGO.

And that trap speed is nowhere near the cayenne turbo, now more than ever. Huge props for the cayenne for dropping that many pounds!

But, this gc srt8 did improve upon its grip,braking and handling numbers. In fact, at the slalom, the improvement was quite substantial.

But why the huge increase in price? $54k for a base srt8? wow.

I'm glad the Germans still do it better and have more style while doing it as well.

The 8 speed trans that ZF is developing for Chrysler right now will not be used for higher torque applications, including the Charger, 300, and GC with Hemi, or any SRT cars. It will be used for pentastar V6 only for 2012 for the Charger, 300, and GC. 5 speed goes on until another unit is swapped in that can handle the torque of the V8s. So on that note, 8 speed won't be happening for at least another model year.

I do think that the GC is impressive for the money. It's performance numbers and materials/build quality suggest a much higher price. Porsche is sweet and does monster numbers, but that is to be expected for the price.

I would never want the Jeep since it's built by the UAW.

Porsche all the way!

X5M please!
The Jeep's styling, especially that stupid flat bottom steering wheel, seem like cliche add ons. Did they google "performance parts" and then run down to Autozone?

there is already a zf 8hp capable of handling the 6.4l's torque output. problem is there won't be enough capacity to build said trannies until chrysler's kokomo plant is up and building those trannies...and the zf plant in the southeast USA is up and running...

My question is, how do we know if this comparison is accurate when IL uses 2 different drivers? Maybe some of the performance numbers are attributable to driver-ability, and not the car itself! They should at least let the drivers test both cars and take an average. Now I have to question all of these comparos!! (or am i being a nit?)

Porsche produces some impressive numbers. On all-season touring tires.

What would it be capable on wearing performace summer tires like the Jeep?

Once the Kokomo plant is up and building the ZF 8HP transmission, everything will be getting it. The Pentastar RWD cars are getting their ZF's shipped over from Germany until the plant is tooled up. Which is underway as I type this.

That transmission will help the SRT8's a lot, but will help the V6's immensely. Can't wait to see the reviews for those cars in the near future.

"That is still a twin turbo V8 in the Porsche. It won't be long before an owner can take that to a halfway competent tuner and get closer to 600 hp out of it for the cost of a good tune."

Colorado: You don't do aftermarket mods on a Porsche.

The Jeep is inexcusably heavy, and slow. 470 hp and 5.1 0-60?!

Everyone acts like its some kind of feat that Jeep/Chrysler sells this for half the price of teh Cayenne. The real story is that Porsche just makes more money from each sale. Development/production costs are probably much closer than most would like to know.

Either way, these things are pretty crazy.

Quick question for you inside line, What's the point of this????

The torque management on the SRT-8 sounds terrible! It makes the engine sound like it's farting between shifts. Perhaps that is required to make the trans last. I miss the old days of positive upshifts, if you had to have a slushbox.

For the price of the Porsche you can have the jeep which is very close in performance the better all around vehicle, and have enough left over for a late model Viper. Plus the Porsche looks like a pumped up Pacer.

@lostboyz

"@coloradosilver, had to lol at saying a twin turbo v8 will be more reliable than an N/A (or even SC) pushrod v8. There is no engine more reliable than a pushrod v8, please see exhibit A, the short block chevy."

Just because they've produced a billion pushrod v8s, doesn't make them more reliable.

If we could see that actual numbers of units produced vs units that have had issues, I still think the Porsche would have a greater reliability factor.

Still, I should have been more specific in my comment above that I was really referring to the mechanics of the drivetrain as a whole and not just the engine.

That SRT-8 might just be the best sounding vehicle you guys have tested since that Z06 Carbon Prototype

This is quite impressive. For both Jeep and Porsche. I mean, considering the price difference here, the Jeep did a superb job. I think 55k for a jeep of this performance would definitely be worth it.

Though I realize the purpose of an SUV vs sedan or wagon, I think I'd have to go with a high performance european wagon (M5, AMG, Audi RS) here. I think that would be the best of both worlds.

@albook

Yes you can, and people do do aftermarket mods on Porsche. It's expensive I'm sure though.

lostboyz: I dont know anyone who purchases a car such as these to then gloat about how much money he or she saved.

and yes, given how much vw/porsche/audi limits its turbos in stock form, 600hp sounds very easily and reliabily attainable.

lostboyz: I dont know anyone who purchases a car such as these to then gloat about how much money he or she saved.

and yes, given how much vw/porsche/audi limits its turbos in stock form, 600hp sounds very easily and reliabily attainable.

"I miss the old days of positive upshifts, if you had to have a slushbox."

I used to use Trans-Go shift kits in my cars....stage Two. If it was a small and light Mustang or Maverick the C4 was the quickest shifting trans I ever felt...it was just to weak for the 351s+ in Torinos and bigger cars. I had an FMX in my 73 341C-4V Mustang and it was decent with a shift kit. THM-350 were super quick...the C6 in my 76 MK lV shifted so hard on a 2-3 full throttle upshift it changed the radio station!

The days when you could buy a shift kit for $20 at Kragen and put it in in your garage in an afternoon are long gone.

Forgetting for a moment the argument against why or how a contraption such as the Cayenne should exist in the first place, and setting aside the sheer absurdity of the very notion of a "performance SUV," it does make perfect sense the overall observation the article reflects: that the Cayenne's engineering seems to possess a much higher quality to its engineering. That disparity is most apparent in the handling comments, which suggest that while the SRT8's handling behavior is a result of a tuned (and compromised) version of the Grand Cherokee's stock suspension, the Cayenne is built from the ground up to handle.

Whether that that justifies the huge price difference between the two is another matter entirely, but in either case, I'd either have to be a totally unimaginative poseur or compensating for serious character deficiencies to pay real money to get either of these versus something more fitting of the sporting purposeful, dedicated, and hardcore (Boss 302, anyone?)

My brother told me about a modified Cayenne Turbo he saw at the Autobahn track in Joliet last year, and from what he told me, I guarantee you that the Porsche can be successfully modded to a much higher performance level. Naturally, you better have deep pockets.

As for the SRT8's stats, I expected better: a 2008 WRX STI likely produces similar or a hair better stats for a much lower price.