You can’t slow the rate of progress. Not in an business as fast-paced as the automotive industry. Just watch this drag race between two Hemi-powered muscle machines and you’ll see what we mean.
Staged at the Santa Pod Raceway in the UK – Europe’s oldest drag strip – the duel pits a new Hemi against an old one. And the results are decisive.
In one lane we have a custom hot rod powered by a 5.4-liter V8 sourced from a 1956 DeSoto – one of the many brands that Chrysler has killed off over the years. It kicks out about 304 horsepower, but with only two seats and none of the creature comforts of today’s vehicles, it’s focused on one thing, and one thing only: straight-line performance. (Well, that and looking hot.)
In the other lane is a new Jeep Grand Cherokee – not the new Trackhawk model with the supercharged Hellcat engine, but the “standard” SRT model with its 6.4-liter V8. It’s substantially more potent at 468 hp, but that muscle has to move more machine, with five seats, a whole lot of cargo space, and all the trimmings. Then again, the four-wheel drive only helps it get the power down to the tarmac.
So which makes its way down the strip faster? You’ve probably figured that out for yourself by now, but to see how close it is, you’ll want to watch the action for yourself in the video below.
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