The raft of new Chrysler products that hit dealer lots this year—the Chrysler 200 and 300, Dodge Avenger and Charger, and Jeep Grand Cherokee—are, on balance, an impressive menagerie of metal. The improvements that the vehicles needed were mostly made, and we’re left with a collection of good products. But what’s missing? The maniacal power from the company’s SRT-badged models. The Dodge Charger SRT8, Chrysler 300 SRT8, and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 debuted at auto shows this past spring, and the Real Executives of Auburn Hills have now set pricing and arrival dates for the hulking trio. All three should hit dealers “late in the third quarter,” which sounds to us like it means the end of August or early September.
The Dodge Charger SRT8 is the least-expensive in the group, with a sticker of $46,620. Should you require the posh cabin and uptown styling of the 300 SRT8, the tag will start at $47,995. And, for the privilege of driving an all-wheel-drive SRT8 vehicle, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 will pilfer your bank account for $55,295.
None of these vehicles can be characterized as cheap, even if they represent good values versus competitors. A Ford Taurus SHO overflowing with options can cost as much as $45,690, and doesn’t offer the rear-wheel-drive dynamics of the Charger or 300. There are also about a million less-powerful German and Japanese competitors in the $40-$50,000 price range, and whether the Chrysler trio can offer a real alternative, only a Car and Driver comparison test can say for sure.
You can read more about Chrysler’s trio of hooligans in our first drive reviews of the Charger SRT8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, and Chrysler 300 SRT8.
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