Hennessey-modified Jeep Trackhawk Dusts a C8 Corvette
Round one went to the Vette but after installing the HPE1000 upgrade the Grand Cherokee flips the script and shows the C8 its tail lights.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is an impressive machine right from the factory. The only real issue with it, is that it is dangerously under-powered. If ever there was a time for a sarcasm font, that previous sentence would be it. With 707 horsepower and a 0 to 60 mph time of about 3.5 seconds, the Trackhawk is anything but under-powered. This is an SUV after all, not a sports car. However, if a lot of horsepower is good, then more is even better. The team over at Hennessey Performance have known this for years.
On the Hennessey Performance YouTube channel, we are treated to a tale of two races. The first with a stock Trackhawk taking on a C8 Corvette that has only an aftermarket exhaust fitted. A drag race between a brand-new mid-engine sportscar and a 5,400-pound SUV may seem silly at first glance. However, the performance of the Trackhawk is such that it is not silly at all. It loses the race but performs admirably considering its competition puts up supercar like numbers. Using this race as a baseline Hennessey goes to work installing their HPE1000 performance upgrade on the Trackhawk. In race number two we see the difference the upgrade makes with our own eyes.
What we see is what 1,000 horsepower and nearly the same amount of torque does for the Trackhawk in a drag race. The Trackhawk with Hennessey power comfortably distances itself from the Corvette. Sure, it is not a fair fight comparing a stock car to a modified one, but again this is a new Corvette against an SUV. An SUV that can tow 7,200 pounds and carry 5 people along with 68 cubic feet worth of their stuff through any weather. There is no formal elapsed time shown but considering the C8 runs the quarter mile in the low 11s, it is a safe bet that this Trackhawk is well into the 10s. Dominic Toretto would approve.
The HPE1000 upgrade is a comprehensive kit that makes big and reliable power. At the heart of it is a 2.65L supercharger, but that is not all. You also get long tube headers, high-flow catalytic converters, fuel injectors, an air induction system, and other various bits. The package also includes dyno testing as well as a road test to be sure everything is running as it should be. Hennessey has so much faith in their system that they offer a 1 year or 12,000-mile warranty with the HPE1000 upgrade. You could smoke the new Corvette 48,000 times down the drag strip and still be covered.
A bog standard Trackhawk will be plenty for most people. However, if you are not like most people and need more power this can be a great option. You can take on not only the other high-powered SUVs from the likes of Lamborghini and Porsche, but also some of the fastest sports cars out there. Watch the first video to see the stock matchup.
Now, take a look at the difference with the HPE1000 upgrade. Impressive.