All I Want For Christmas Is A Twin Turbo Jeep

The latest high-tech Supercar has all the numbers.  800 horsepower.  0-60 in 3.1 seconds.  A 7.0L engine, all wheel drive, and 15.1" Brembo 6-piston brakes up front.  Thing is, it's not some low-slung 2-seater styled by Pininfarina.  It's a Jeep Grand Cherokee - with a few modifications by Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE.)

Called the HPE800, it's based on the new-shape Grand Cherokee SRT8.  The new SRT is a pretty badass vehicle by itself: a 6.4L V8 with 465 horsepower, 0-60 in under 5 seconds, variable dampers and huge brakes, it's a remarkably well-rounded package - except for the gas mileage.  But if you're buying an SRT-8 for gas mileage, you're probably confused.

Hennessey's engineers start by boring the block from 6.4L (392ci) to 7.0L (426ci.)  Then they fit a pair of intercooled turbochargers and other supporting mods.  Total power jumps from 465 horsepower to 805, and torque from 465 to 823lb-ft - almost double on both counts.  The transmission and torque converter are upgraded to avoid expensive explosions as well.  Hennessey is claiming some pretty serious figures for the HPE800:  0-60 in 3.1 seconds (down from 4.8) and a 10.9 seconds quarter-mile at 130mph.

The limited-edition HPE800 also gets a set of 20" HPE alloys, 15.1" Brembos all around (6-piston front, 4-piston rear), new lowered suspension, a carbon-fiber front lip and a custom leather/Alcantara interior.  I'd ask for one for Christmas, but there's two problems:  It costs a gob-smacking $235,000, and it's Christmas Eve, so I'm a bit late.  Although being red, with plenty of room in the back and magical warp drive under the hood, it would make a pretty decent replacement for Santa's Sleigh.  Eh?

Happy Holidays from all of us at Car Throttle!  We wish the best to you and yours.