--- title: "Jeep VP Says ‘You Can Imagine What Is Coming’ About SRT Trackhawk Return" date: "2026-02-20" modified: "2026-02-20" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/jeep-vp-says-you-can-imagine-what-is-coming-about-srt-trackhawk-return" categories: - "Jeep News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Grand Cherokee" - "Grand Cherokee SRT" - "Jeep" - "suv/crossover" --- # Jeep VP Says ‘You Can Imagine What Is Coming’ About SRT Trackhawk Return ![2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk]() *\Stellantis\* Once upon a time, Jeep used the [Grand Cherokee]() as a platform for some pretty surprising vehicles. At the top of the list was undoubtedly the SRT and [Trackhawk]() variants, bringing high-performance on-road SUVs to the brand at a time when, particularly in the model's early days, that was still a rare thing. The current Grand Cherokee has been on the market for five years already, so many might've lost hope that these sports-car-bullying family haulers would ever return. But with new leadership across Stellantis and a renewed commitment to V8s, they're officially back "on the table." We asked Mauricio Lopez, Jeep's vice president of sales, about the chances of a high-performance Grand Cherokee in the vein of the Trackhawk and possibly with a Hellcat V8 returning to the lineup, especially given that SRT has been fully resurrected. His answer may not have been direct, but it was encouraging. "I mean, absolutely everything is on the table," Lopez told *The Drive*. "There are a lot of things being developed, but Stellantis announced a $13 billion investment in the future of the company. With that, I can tell you there's a lot of product actions coming that, of course, we cannot announce at this point." ![The 2006 Jeep(R) Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the quickest, most powerful Jeep vehicle ever created, and the ultimate performance sports utility vehicle. J2006\_024]() *The original Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was faster to 60 mph than a Porsche Cayenne Turbo of the time. *Stellantis** Lopez then name-dropped Tim Kuniskis, who not only helms Ram [but also the SRT brand]() these days. "Having Tim Kuniskis as the head of this, you can imagine what is coming also from a powertrain perspective," he added. This naturally led us to ask if the 6.2-liter Hellcat motor will fit in the WL-generation Grand Cherokee, as it fit in the prior WK2. That wasn't something Lopez and company were willing to answer at this time, but that alone shouldn't cause you to lose hope. Earlier this week, we reported that [Jeep is asking customers to "stay tuned"]() for the 5.7-liter V8's return to the nameplate. The Stellantis of 2026 looks *very* different from the Stellantis of 2024. Some of that can be [chalked up to personnel changes](); some of that [certainly to regulatory changes](), too. "One of the things that’s encouraging is that with the change in leadership, you know, V8s are no longer a bad word around the company," Dodge CEO Matt McAlear [told us last February](), in response to a question about the Charger getting its Hemi back. If you're excited by the prospect of a new Trackhawk, the WL Grand Cherokee arguably launched at the worst time, in the throes of the pandemic fallout and a Carlos Tavares-led Stellantis pushing away V8s and embracing EVs. That's why, five years into this generation, the most exciting Grand Cherokee variants could still be yet to come. *Got a tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()