Jeep Trackhawk sets SUV ice speed record

A tenuous claim to fame, perhaps, but 710hp on ice is always worthy of attention

Dodge’s 6.2-litre Hemi V8 has been one of the standout motors of the last decade, finding its way into various iterations of the Charger and Challenger, with various levels of jaw-dropping performance. From the original 707hp Hellcat, to the 840hp Demon, its prodigious output has seen Dodge’s cars largely snatching the limelight from the higher-selling Mustang.

The same powerplant also found its way into the Jeep Grand Cherokee, of course, taking the SRT tradition of hot Cherokees to new levels of ridiculousness. The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk used its 707hp and 645lb ft of torque to propel its 2,433kg mass to 62mph in just 3.7 seconds. It then proceeded to keep on pulling, all the way to a physics-defying top speed of 180mph. But that was on tarmac; with a couple of years having passed since its introduction, and silly outputs having become de rigueur, the Trackhawk needed a new way to grab some attention.

Lake Baikal – which may be familiar to you already – has hosted its annual Speed Days during the Baikal Ice Festival every year since 2011. During that time over 20 speed records have been broken on the frozen surface, include many approved by the FIA. The Jeep’s, somewhat tenuous, new claim to fame is the title of fastest SUV on ice, achieved with a top speed of 174mph, just 6mph shy of the Trackhawk’s top speed.

According to data confirmed by the Russian Automobile Federation, the Trackhawk also achieved an average speed of 160mph over the 1km distance. That’s with a rolling start, mind, the average dropping to “more than 60mph” when starting from zero. Traction was obviously at a premium, although the press release makes no mention of studded tyres being used, only that “unnecessary items were removed” before the record run.

Participation would also have tested the Jeep’s enormous Brembo brakes, with the icy surface covered in a slick layer of water during daylight hours. Still, it looks like all went to plan, with the Trackhawk returning home with a record, and a little extra attention, under its belt. As for where that wonderful V8 will end up next, only time will tell.

 

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