Jeep displays Grand Cherokee SRT and Wrangler Unlimited at Auto Expo 2016

Jeep’s entry into India has been long in the making. But now, the legendary SUV maker has used the Auto Expo as a platform to mark its arrival in India with three models – the Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee, and the Grand Cherokee SRT – set to go on sale in the middle of this year.

The SUV maker's dealerships will first appear in metros, and then move on the tier-one cities.

The Wrangler is an iconic SUV and has been displayed in its long-wheelbase Unlimited Overland Sahara guise. This is the version that will make it to India, and not the two-door version. It is powered by a 197bhp 2.8-litre diesel engine mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox.

Jeep has also brought its most luxurious offering, the Grand Cherokee to its stall. The model that is India-bound, the Summit variant, comes with a long equipment list. It gets a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch chrome alloy wheels, bi-xenon adaptive headlamps heated and ventilated seats, sat-nav, Bluetooth connectivity, parking sensors, reversing camera, an electric tailgate, and two USB slots for those in the rear seat. Under the hood, there’s a 3.0-litre V6 diesel motor churning 237bhp, mated to an eight-speed ZF gearbox.

Also on display is the Grand Cherokee SRT, which introduces Jeep's Street & Racing Technology performance division in India. This sporty SUV swaps the 3.0-litre diesel engine for a more potent 6.4-litre HEMI V8 petrol engine. It pumps out a 461bhp and a thundering 63.6kgm of torque, which translates to a 0-100kph time of  5 seconds. The engine also features an Eco mode that helps in bettering fuel efficiency. To visually distinguish itself from the regular Grand Cherokee, this model gets smoked headlamps and 20-inch Black Vapour Chrome SRT alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli tyres. It also gets six-piston Brembo brakes to deal with the additional horsepower and comes with a Selec-Trac, multi-drive mode which alters the car’s settings as per driving conditions. The interiors feature an SRT-specific, 7.0-inch TFT instrument console, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters and an 8.4-inch infotainment system connected to a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The Grand Cherokee SRT is a rival to the BMW X5 M.