CloseRegarding tuning - a Turbo is the way to go. The car has enough capacity, but a booster would bring a lot. There are some packages available in the US, should be possible to get them registered in Germany, too. Also from the way the car delivers the power it already has a huge torque, but somehow I feel that the engine could deliver even better. Maybe a different in-haul/air-flow system could make already a difference.
Lars997:
Regarding tuning - a Turbo is the way to go. The car has enough capacity, but a booster would bring a lot. There are some packages available in the US, should be possible to get them registered in Germany, too. Also from the way the car delivers the power it already has a huge torque, but somehow I feel that the engine could deliver even better. Maybe a different in-haul/air-flow system could make already a difference.
The dealer I would get the car at has a lot of tuning experience and the 7.3 liter upgrade (sorry, my mistake, I wrote something about a 7.1 upgrade) sounds very promising. Still, not sure about it since the car is probably not made for this kind of power and torque.
The plot thickens: I got the final offer from the SRT8 dealer and it is unexpectedly very attractive. Actually up to a point where it doesn't even make sense to think about that Cayenne Turbo S anymore. 
Not sure what to do now. Tomorrow I will visit the Jeep dealer and talk to him, I will also look at the car again. Every bit of my brain tells me to take the deal (very very very good deal) but my heart is kind of stuck with that Cayenne Turbo S offer (which would cost me a fortune compared to that Jeep).
Help...!!!
P.S.: If I take the SRT8, I will also have them a sport exhaust system installed (they have one available, with TÜV!!!).
--
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
sfo:
sounds like the SRT8 is not selling, hence the super attractive deal.
as you are going to lease it anyway, your depreciation risk is known, so why not try it .. if anything, it will remind you not to stray from Porsche in the future ....
The deal for the SRT8 is a real bargain, ridiculously low, any other person than me would have already taken the deal but since I am a Porsche guy...well...not easy.
The SRT8 is actually quite seldom over here but not because it doesn't sell well, Jeep officially only imports 88 (or was it 70...forgot it) cars per year for the German market but there are of course many grey market cars over here and Jeep probably wants to keep up with their (lower) prices.
I have no depreciation risk since I am leasing the SRT8 (the deal is too good to pass on, I would be stupid to buy the car). 10000 km per year, 36 months, then I return the car to the dealer and I'm done. That simple.
Only issue was the snow chains (there are officially none available) but we found a solution which works quite nicely.
Tomorrow will be the day to make a decision. Btw (just as a hint): The Cayenne Turbo S would cost me over 60k EUR more than the SRT8...lease cost for 36 months. Ouch.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
I can't wait for the UK to catchup with the US & Germany it would seem, in terms of leasing. I'd like a 3rd car (some form of convertible) but PCP or leasing is just too expensive for a private (non-business) buyer at the moment.
991 (what a car!) XC90 - Black/Black 2 kids, 1 dog
bridggar:
I can't wait for the UK to catchup with the US & Germany it would seem, in terms of leasing. I'd like a 3rd car (some form of convertible) but PCP or leasing is just too expensive for a private (non-business) buyer at the moment.
I was surprised to hear that lease conditions are worse in other countries.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
sfo:
RC:
The Cayenne Turbo S would cost me over 60k EUR more than the SRT8...lease cost for 36 months. Ouch.
our American friends would call this decision "a no brainer"
I know but since I love the Cayenne...not easy but the (money) difference speaks for itself.
Right now, the decision for the SRT8 seems to have been made (99%).
--
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
If you take it from a lease point of view, which is 36 months, the decision is IMHO indeed a no brainer - UNLESS, you see the possibility that you would complain about, say, the high speed capabilities or the driving feel in general or whatever after a few months... (... X3 3.5d...) ... perhaps, the valentin's day will get you in the right decision making mode...
d997h:
If you take it from a lease point of view, which is 36 months, the decision is IMHO indeed a no brainer - UNLESS, you see the possibility that you would complain about, say, the high speed capabilities or the driving feel in general or whatever after a few months... (... X3 3.5d...) ... perhaps, the valentin's day will get you in the right decision making mode...
The SRT8 lease is cheaper than I thought (I think Lars had a point when he chose this car) and the car is really very sporty for a SUV, very close to the Cayenne GTS actually (which is quite surprising). Only (possible) complaint: The quality look and feel is at par with the X3 but not at par with the Cayenne. 
Also, the car eats quite a lot of fuel.
The decision has been made (99%) but I am driving over to the dealer tomorrow to see how the wheel spacers influence the look of the car (the wheel spacers are necessary for the snow chains, otherwise I cannot use them).
Jeep is really "funny" here: They offer an offroader/SUV which cannot be used with snow chains. Quite ingenious, especially considering the purpose of such a car. 
I will also order the sport exhaust (already calculated "into" the lease), a 4200 EUR special order item with flaps, the only sport exhaust with TÜV in Germany for the SRT8. Sound is amazing (deep, loud V8 growl). Think of the Cayenne GTS but a bit deeper and...louder. 
--
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
Enmanuel:
You're going to end up going for it anyways. Then somehow you'll complain about how the Turbo doesn't feel as snappy as the GTS used to feel. Then you'll diagnose the problem as a lack of power or whatever, and end up justifying getting a Turbo S when the new one comes out. We know this is how it's going to happen, you know this is how it's going to happen. So lets just enjoy the set of pictures you'll be posting in the near future and hope you are happy when your new Turbo S arrives
Déjà vu, heh
2014 991 Carrera 4S | Dark Blue Metallic | PDK | S-PASM (-20mm) | PSE
2010 Audi S5 cabrio | Ibis White
Previous
2010 997.2 C2S | Carrara White | Manual | S-PASM (-20mm) | PSE | OZ Superforgiata
2008 997.1 C4S | Guards Red | Manual | PSE | Bilstein PSS10 | H&R Roll Bars | Dension 500
2007 997.1 Turbo | Meteor Gray | Manual | Bilstein PSS10 | Cargraphic Stage 2 | Dension 500
2005 987.1 Boxster S | Arctic Silver | Manual | OZ Ultraleggera | H&R Cup Suspension | H&R Roll Bars | Sachs Racing Clutch | Recaro Shells
2005 997.1 C2S | Atlas Gray | Manual | PSE | Sport Suspension (-20mm)
Feb 15, 2014 11:50:15 AM
Christian...take the Cayenne,you must know that you whant it.The more you pay,the less you pay...remember this.
you are a Porsche guy.
The first car blown you with the Jeep,make you run to a Porsche dealer to let trade it for a Cayenne Turbo.
so jump this part And buy whant you really whant...
I like the new Grand Cherokee really much,but the "normal" version,this one looks to me too much aggressive...
--
997TT RS Tuning stage II(sold),2011 Cayenne Turbo(sold),waiting 991 GT3 RS
Feb 15, 2014 3:45:13 PM
Guys, say hello to my new ride...Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (German version, 2014).
Pickup will be next Saturday.
Let's be blunt: I always liked US SUVs but never really considered getting one in Germany, simply because they lacked in build quality and especially in sportiness.
When I started to look into the SRT8, based on Lars' recommendation, I stumbled over a used 2012 car at a dealer. That car was nice and build quality was much better than on the luxury Cadillac Escalade (what a crappy build quality this car has) and quite close to the build quality of my wife's X3 35d or even my former X5M.
When I saw the 2014 car today, I had a shock. I didn't have high expectations but the surprise was huge: This car is at the build quality level of a Mercedes ML or GL. What a surprise. Much better than the 2012 car and better than my wife's X3.
The dealer had his own SRT8 for a testdrive, so I took it for a spin. Not as direct and sporty as a Cayenne GTS but at least at the same level of a Cayenne Turbo for example. A pretty firm ride, the car feels stiff and sporty but could use a bit more steering feel when driving straight. Otherwise, a wonderful ride.
I tried the launch control twice and reached a time of 4.6 and 4.7 seconds (from 0-100 kph). This is Cayenne Turbo territory. The 2012 model does 0-100 kph in 5.4 seconds. The new 8 speed automatic really seems to have an impact.
The whole car is very nice, the front is very aggressive looking with those blacked out front lights and despite the many photos I saw on the internet, even the rear lights are smoke grey, very nice.
The entertainment system is, in my opinion, the best available in a SUV. Amazing features and the sound of the 19 speaker system is divine (very Burmester-like and worlds ahead of the BOSE I had in the Cayenne GTS).
I won't even start to mention the many standard features, the black met. paint was the only option, everything else, including seat ventilation or adaptive cruise control, is standard. Also many USB ports available all over the car, the kids love it (iPads, iPhone charging).
The sound of the V8 is very nice and close to the Cayenne GTS but I decided to go for a special sport exhaust system with flap control. Not cheap but this system gets TÜV (something I don't understand because this thing is super loud but...who cares) and I have a button for the flap control next to the shifter.
Overall, this car costs me, over a 36 months lease period, a ridiculously low amount of money (Lars, you were right...amazing offer) because Jeep Germany has right now a special discount offer for businesses and another special lease offer. For this kind of money, you cannot even get a naked Cayenne Diesel. 
If the quality is as good as the whole look and feel, this will be a wonderful addition to my car family.
Driving report with more photos next weekend.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
More photos (don't worry, I didn't take the chrome rims...they will be exchanged with the black chrome for summer wheels and matte black for winter wheels).
The digital dash is really nice (high res, doesn't look like digital at first look).
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
Btw: While at the dealer, I saw a modded Dodge Durango (looked really simple, black, only the red Brembo calipers gave it away) with a 7.3 l HEMI engine and 557 hp. Some guy wanted to have a stealth family SUV with lots of cojones. 
This car does 0-100 kph in 5 seconds flat and it looks as if it is slow like hell. Must be fun.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
Nice addition to the garage! US muscle! Congrats! 
Don't get this wrong... but your motivation and reasons sound similar to those who chose a GT-R over a 911 Turbo 
Looking forward to your driving report.
2014 991 Carrera 4S | Dark Blue Metallic | PDK | S-PASM (-20mm) | PSE
2010 Audi S5 cabrio | Ibis White
Previous
2010 997.2 C2S | Carrara White | Manual | S-PASM (-20mm) | PSE | OZ Superforgiata
2008 997.1 C4S | Guards Red | Manual | PSE | Bilstein PSS10 | H&R Roll Bars | Dension 500
2007 997.1 Turbo | Meteor Gray | Manual | Bilstein PSS10 | Cargraphic Stage 2 | Dension 500
2005 987.1 Boxster S | Arctic Silver | Manual | OZ Ultraleggera | H&R Cup Suspension | H&R Roll Bars | Sachs Racing Clutch | Recaro Shells
2005 997.1 C2S | Atlas Gray | Manual | PSE | Sport Suspension (-20mm)
bluelines:
Nice addition to the garage! US muscle!
Don't get this wrong... but your motivation and reasons sound similar to those who chose a GT-R over a 911 Turbo
Looking forward to your driving report.
Yes and no. The SRT8 is going to be my third or fourth car, not my primary fun car. I would never choose a GT-R as my primary fun car. I also didn't claim that the SRT8 is the same as the Cayenne Turbo or even Turbo S, it isn't. However, it is a very nice family SUV...for someone who is into sports cars too. 
I just couldn't dare to spend another 65k EUR for the Cayenne Turbo S...for a car which sits in the garage most of the time (even more than my 991 Turbo S).
I am very surprised about the build quality and look & feel of this car, never expected this from a US car (no offense meant). Nicely done, I am very surprised that they don't sell more cars in Germany. Well...maybe the excessive fuel consumption is an issue but I saw a couple of people interested in the Grand Cherokee Diesel models and they actually look quite nice too.
--
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
Feb 16, 2014 4:22:54 AM
Feb 16, 2014 7:13:50 AM
HEHE - CONGRATULATIONS 
Hope you guys enjoy it as much as we do. It was supposed to be the family van, but it became within weeks the most wanted car of my wife and myself. We argue every morning who takes what! 
After 6 weeks now I have to say the car runs great and gives you lot of fun. To many things which just are right - not only the transmission (Engine/Gearbox) also what you mentioned - excellent sounding Audio makes it so enjoyable. I also have to say that I get lots of positive signal - unexpected thumbs up and always some people standing around when parking in the city.
Its a sporty family van allrounder fun car. Not a sports car, not a race car, not a transporter, not a cruiser - but somehow still all of those!
And not to forget - the price is right and for what you safe compared to the Cayenne Turbo you can easily enjoy so many other things - going to Disney every week you have the car, eating chocolate more than Lindt is able to import to your city or going to vacation twice extra a year!
Enjoy the beast - well decided.
Congrats RC! Very nice car. You made the right choice. The Jeep is way cooler and more exclusive than a "boring" Cayenne. And you save a lot of money.
Suzy
2013 Porsche Boxster S (MT) | Basalt black metallic
2014 Audi A6 Avant 3.0 BiTDI Quattro | Moonshine blue metallic
RC:
Guys, say hello to my new ride...Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (German version, 2014).
Pickup will be next Saturday.
Congratulations for his month's new car 
I don't know what saving this car has over a Porsche, but I am always of the opinion never to pay extra for a mainstream model (e.g. Cayenne, Macan even Panamera) from a more celebrated manufacturer. Because you pay X% more for the name and perceived status which is not reflected in the overall benefit and value. I would never buy a Cayenne diesel in preference to a Touareg for example or a Macan over a comparable Audi.
The only minus is the look which is too Transatlantic for some 
However, the dark colour makes it more acceptable.
--
"Form follows function"
Thanks guys, even if I sometimes have difficulties to tell if you are making fun of me or not. 
I like the SRT8 front a lot but the rear look is debatable, not really my cup of tea. I also don't understand why Chrysler would blacken the front lights (the standard Grand Cherokee has the same lights but clear) and the rear lights but keep the window frames in chrome or offer chrome rims for that matter. This is remaining an American designer mystery to me.
My wife likes this car a lot, she says it looks very "manly" (I have to be careful when women use this word because sometimes they mean something else than men ). Only my daughter is a little bit opposed (she always loved the Cayenne) and she says this car reminds her too much of the US and being on vacation (not sure why this is bad but...hey...kids... ).
If the quality is right (build and feel quality seems that way), this is an amazing deal. In Germany, Chrysler offers now a 10500(!) EUR deduction from the new car price (78500 EUR) instantly, for businesses. Then, they also offer a 1000 EUR cash back because the car was ordered from Chrysler before the price hike(?). This means a 11500 EUR saving instantly. Then, there is the special lease offer for businesses, which is also very attractive. I pay 450 EUR per month (incl. VAT). 450. This is ridiculous. Car has two years full warranty and then...surprise surprise...Chrysler offers an additional two years...for free. A special offer from them. So four years new car warranty, meaning that the full lease period of three years is completely covered and if I want to keep it another year, no problem (incl. the warranty). Amazing deal. This is a 2014 car, same as Lars' car and he got the same good deal, so this is no exception and we both are very very happy.
Also Lars is right: Only 70 German cars for this year, the others are grey imports from the US/Canada. The difference is in damper setup and tire setup, the German cars come with a sportier damper setup and Pirelli PZero tires, the US/Canada cars, depending on the location, sometimes with Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season tires. Also the German cars have DAB (digital broadcast radio), the US/Canada cars come with Sirius/XM which is not usable in Europe. There are a couple of things which make a grey import senseless in Germany, the price difference is only 5-8k EUR, so I would always prefer the cars officially imported, no grey imports.
Most fascinating is the standard features list:
- heated seats (front and rear)
- ventilated seats front
- Bi-Xenon front lights with curve assist
- tire pressure monitoring system
- sport chassis with adaptive dampening
- lane change assist
- adaptive cruise control
- Harman Kardon 7.3 Surround Sound System with 19 speakers incl. subwoofer and a 12 channel class-D amplifier
- bluetooth audio streaming, two USB ports in the rear, one USB port in the front, one SD card slot in the front (for playing music or updating entertainment system software
- carbon interior package
- Command View Panoramic glass roof (similar to Cayenne glass roof, I actually think this is the same), electric with shade
- uconnect navigation and entertainment system with 8.4 inch touch display
- park assist front and rear with rear view camera
- LED interior ambient light
- keyless go
- rear hatch electric (automatic)
- cruise control
- tinted windows (privacy glass)
...and many many things more. A Cayenne Diesel with the same options would be over 90k EUR. Ouch.
The 8-speed automatic tranny is from ZF, the chassis dampening system is from Bilstein (actually the whole suspension) and looking at the quality of the carbon package, the panoramic roof and many other things, I'd say that Chrysler uses the same suppliers as Porsche and/or other premium manufacturers.
Of course I do not want to compare the SRT8 to a Cayenne Turbo or Turbo S but like Lars said, you get a lot for your money and still have fun with this car. From 0-100 kph, there aren't many trucks out there to beat the SRT8 and you get the sound of the Cayenne GTS (a bit louder even), almost the same drive and steering feel of a Cayenne Turbo and an amazing 6.4 l engine which has an amazing throttle response in Sport and especially in Track mode (throttle response beats the Cayenne GTS in Sport mode, no kidding).
This car has only three downsides:
- Fuel consumption seems to be always around 18-20 liters and if you drive at Vmax (257 kph or 160 mph), expect something close to 30 liters and more (no kidding, this is what the dealer told me).
- Part availability (if repairs need to be done) can be a challenge. Dealer told me that this is no problem but I read on some Jeep forums that it can take up to four weeks to get specific parts from the US, which is quite long. Usually however, Chrysler Germany has the parts in stock and they are available within 24-48 hours.
- The reputation of US cars in Germany isn't the best (people may say that you can't afford something better...but I couldn't care less, especially since most people over here don't have a clue what a SRT8 is).
So if you can live with it, the SRT8 is the hell of a deal.
Oh...the AWD system of the SRT8 is not the same used on the other GC models. This is not an AWD for serious off-roading and there is no lower gear (however the new 8 speed ZF automatic offers a much lower first gear to accomodate off-roaders as good as possible, which may be one of the reasons why this heavy truck is so fast from 0-100 kph).
Also last but not least: Those living in colder climates need to be aware that there are no snow chains officially available from Jeep (which is another mystery to me). For my 10'' wide 295/40 20'' wheels, I need wheel spacers (front and rear) to be able to use snow chains with this car. This also means that the car gets aprox. 30 mm wider on each wheel and aerodynamics get f.cked up but I use this setup only once a year when we drive to a certain ski location in Austria where snow chains are very likely to be mandatory. Just wanted to remind you of this issue, just in case you would be interested in this car. Some may argue that the wheel spacers make the car look better (meaner) but while this may be true to some point, driving at very high speeds is not recommended because of the probably increased fuel consumption (not that it can get much worse than over 30 liters / 100 km ).
--
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
reginos:
...Because you pay X% more for the name and perceived status ...
And that is exactly what was pushing me towards the car. A 911 may be accepted in Germany but the Luxury SUVs all lack of acceptance. And oh wonder oh wonder - if it is a brand appealing less expensive it gives a complete different exposure of arrogance which is reflected in acceptance. Its weird but in the area I live its indeed like this
Secondly... I just don't need to pay for status. I don't need to show off - all I wear, all I buy, all luxury or all mainstream I am - I do that for myself! 
I love luxury I love luxury articles - but I don't have to oppose them to others.
Lars997:
reginos:
...Because you pay X% more for the name and perceived status ...And that is exactly what was pushing me towards the car. A 911 may be accepted in Germany but the Luxury SUVs all lack of acceptance. And oh wonder oh wonder - if it is a brand appealing less expensive it gives a complete different exposure of arrogance which is reflected in acceptance. Its weird but in the area I live its indeed like this
Secondly... I just don't need to pay for status. I don't need to show off - all I wear, all I buy, all luxury or all mainstream I am - I do that for myself!
Exactly. I bet many people who know me will say that I probably cannot afford a Cayenne anymore...which is a good thing. Since 99% won't even know the difference between a SRT and a regular GC model, this is even better.
Yes, the car is for me to have fun...not for others. Well...the others will participate (a little bit) in the fun when they listen to my sport exhaust.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
Congratulations !!
I see the same car , but in white , everyday a few times, as it is exposed at a Jeep dealer very closed to my home . I have been very tempted…… price in Switzerland is exactly the same as yours ( surprisingly , as this never happens ) . The car is CHF 96'000.- and I am sure once could get a small rebate .
The only problem for me, is , with 3 kids, I need more inner space ( bigger boot, and more importantly a 3rd row of seats ) For the moment this is a deal breaker for me .
We see loads of Grand Cherokees around here . It must now be the most seen recent SUV around . It looks like it replaced the Volvo C90 . The STR is pretty rare . I only have seen it twice on the roads.
997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm
Found this 0-100 kph acceleration figure for the 2014 car...very impressive. My dealer told me that the car delivers a much better performance after 5000 km or so (this is something typical for the HEMI engine he said), so there is hope.
Not sure how accurate the inboard 0-100 kph lap timer is but I will find out soon.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)
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