Jeep's SRT Grand Cherokee is one of the most hopped-up SUVs on the market, but its name could be in jeopardy.
Back in May, Fiat Chrysler said that the SRT tag would only be applied to Dodge brand vehicles going forward, making observers wonder if it would keep the moniker on the high-performance trims of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300.
Still, according to Automotive News, Fiat Chrysler has hinted at what it has in store for these higher-power trims.
The most basic clue is that dealerships can continue to order the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT for the 2015 model year, so that means the moniker will soldier on for at least one more year.
Chrysler did file for a trademark on the name Trackhawk in July, which means that it could be the new designation for 2016. There could be other names as well, as Jeep celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2016.
"Trailhawk" is already a name for off-road trims of the Cherokee crossover and the upcoming Renegade crossover. There was also a Trailhawk Grand Cherokee in 2013, but that model has been dropped for 2014.
For the 300 SRT, it will continue in that guise in right-hand-drive global markets for 2015, but it won't be sold in North America, despite the refresh that Chrysler is giving the 300 for this year. That means the similar Dodge Charger will be left to carry the performance flag, with the SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat.
This is all part of a Fiat Chrysler plan to simplify its lineups and how each brand is presented. The company wants to move the Chrysler line from a luxury group to a more-mainstream group, while Dodge will be more performance-oriented and Jeep will focus on off-roading. The SRT performance brand was killed as part of the new plan, so it makes sense to shift the SRT names over to Dodge and either give the high-performance trims from other brands new names or drop them altogether.
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