Jeep Grand Wagoneer: Bigger, Longer, Tougher… Hellcat-powered?

The shadowy future Jeep model that probably should have been in production by now continues to entice fans of the original Grand Wagoneer. It’s expected that the largest of all Jeeps will arrive not too imminently, using the 2019 Ram 1500’s frame as a backbone.

There’ll be size and luxury in spades (the thing might top out above $100k), but until now we hadn’t heard anything about power. It’s now possible that we’ll see a Trackhawk variant that uses the upgraded 6.2-liter supercharged V8 found in Dodge’s refreshed 2019 Challenger Hellcat. Possible, but perhaps not probable.

According to an internal document uncovered by Bozi Tatarevic and published in Road & Track, powertrain component supplier ZF lists a beefed-up eight-speed transmission bound for the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk. The doc shows Fiat Chrysler refers to the model’s platform as “WS.”

ZF identifies the model’s transmission as a ZF-8HP95X, a version of the existing 8HP “Torqueflight” family that’s been upgraded to handle more torque. The existing Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcats use the 8HP90. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk uses the 8HP95.

Interestingly, the ZF document dates to the spring of 2017, revealing that either FCA has had this idea almost from the get-go, or it’s an idea that’s come and gone. An FCA spokesman denies knowledge of such an impending vehicle.

If it’s legit, how much power can we expect from this largest of Trackhawks? According to ZF, roughly 718 horsepower. That’s pretty much the same as the 717 hp generated by the 2019 Challenger Hellcat, so we can assume a torque figure similar to that coupe’s 656 lb-ft. (It doesn’t look like the 2019 Challenger Hellcat Redeye’s 797 hp 6.2L HEMI is destined for any other vehicle.)

The development of the Wagoneer and high-zoot Grand Wagoneer hasn’t been a swift affair. Initially targeted for a 2018 launch, the models’ path to production has been a winding one. Originally said to be a lengthened version of the next-generation Grand Cherokee, CEO Sergio Marchionne said last year that the twin utilities would boast body-on-frame construction. That means using the Ram 1500’s underpinnings. Of course, the next-gen 1500 is having its own troubles leaving the starting gate.

It now looks like the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer won’t appear until the 2021 model year, meaning the earliest we’d see them is sometime in 2020.

[Image: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]