04 NOV 2016: TAKING PERFORMANCE TO NEW HEIGHTS

GRAND CHEROKEE SRT RACES A PLANE IN THE ULTIMATE BATTLE BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY

Grand Cherokee has always pushed the boundaries. But now, for the first time ever, those boundaries are between land and air. Grand Cherokee SRT officially became the first 4x4 to take on a nimble aerobatic plane – and win.

The inspiration for this exciting event was the raw power and speed of the 6.4L V8 HEMI engine underneath the bonnet. The first HEMI engines were developed for the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft and have an impressive ‘fighter plane’ heritage.

The battle between the ground and sky took place at the Blyton Park Driving Centre in Lincolnshire. Grand Cherokee SRT hit the track, while the Silence SA1100 Twister plane navigated around seven-metre high pylons.

Ed Morris, the youngest British driver to compete at Le Mans 24 hour, drove Grand Cherokee SRT, while the Twister plane was flown by specialist aerobatic pilot Peter Wells.

Both reached speeds of 140mph. But Grand Cherokee SRT had the ultimate advantage, with its many high-performance technologies, including launch control and Selec-Trac transmission – finishing in just under 14 seconds, almost a full second ahead. Which only goes to show that when it comes to Grand Cherokee SRT, no challenge is too high.