Hennessey Performance arranged a drag race a few weeks ago between a C8 Chevy Corvette and the range-topping Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which the latter predictably lost. Apparently, the SUV has muscled up a bit since then and returned to the track screaming bloody vengeance.
Hennessey did not invent the wheel with this build, but this does not mean the result is not impressive. Quite on the contrary, the HPE1000 kit endowed the off-roader with as much as 1,012 hp (755 kW) and 1,314 Nm (969 lb-ft) of torque. Included in the package are a 2.65-liter supercharger, motorsports-ready catalytic converters and a plethora of other upgrades.
For its own part, the ‘Vette packs an aftermarket exhaust system that is 4.5 kg (10 lbs) lighter than the original and adds 21 hp (16 kW) along with 26 Nm (19 lb-ft) to the wheels. Even with this extra bit of power, the mid-engined sports car is about half as powerful as the Hennessey-tuned Trackhawk.
The two races the tuner has conducted showed the Jeep’s obvious advantage over its rival, especially from a rolling start. Then again, the prices are also anything if comparable.