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What does Jeep have cooking with this stretched Cherokee?

Chrysler has been spotted testing what appears to be a stretched Jeep Cherokee prototype. Which seems odd, considering that Jeep already makes a Grand Cherokee, and that's an entirely different model. The question then is just what the company has in the works here. We don't know for sure – but we do have some ideas. We're anticipating a new Grand Wagoneer to serve as the brand's flagship model, but stretching the Cherokee's wheelbase to leapfrog the Grand Cherokee's would take more than eight inches – and stretching a "compact" platform to get there wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense. Alternatively Jeep could be looking to wedge a new model into its lineup in between the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, potentially offering a third row of seats and wearing the Wagoneer name - sans the "Grand" - as part of a new range of seven-seaters. Just what the point would be, however, when the Dodge Durango already offers three rows based on the same platform as the Grand Cherokee, is a bit of a mystery. Another possibility is that it's not a Jeep at all, but rather a Dodge. The brand is in need of a replacement for the current Journey, and we're also waiting to see what FCA does to replace the Grand Cherokee since it unveiled the Chrysler Pacifica to replace the Town and Country. More of a crossover approach could take the Cherokee's Compact US Wide (CUSW) platform as its starting point, but stretched like this prototype to offer more space. Whatever it is, we're sure this won't be the last we'll have seen of it, so watch this space. Related Video:

Dodge adds fire-breathing Durango SRT for 2018

The playbook for Dodge right now is pretty simple. Wring as much power out of as many things as humanly possible. Now comes the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT. Packing 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, this seven-seat school bus will scoot to 60 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds. Since the latest Durango launched for 2014, Dodge has unabashedly called it a three-row Charger. This beefy SUV makes that aggressive claim even more legit. "It does all the things we want a performance car to do," says Mark Trostle, head of performance, passenger, and utility vehicle exterior design. "It really is our three-row Charger." The 6.4-liter (392 cubic inches) Hemi V8 is considerably stronger than the already-potent 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which is rated at 360 hp and 390 lb-ft in the most powerful Durango available now. The SRT powertrain includes the TorqueFlight eight-speed automatic transmission used in the lesser Durango models (and many other FCA US vehicles), though it's calibrated specifically to the sportier demeanor of the SRT model. A similarly retuned full-time all-wheel-drive system rounds out the powertrain. Despite the fact this is a hot-rod SUV, it can still tow 8,600 pounds with a trailer, 1,200 pounds more than the most capable 2017 Durango (the rear-wheel 5.7-liter variant). View 9 Photos The Durango SRT is an obvious move for Dodge. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is built on the same platform in the same factory in Detroit, already has an SRT model. With rumors of a Hellcat-powered Grand Cherokee swirling and another Demonic Challenger on the way, the Durango was overdue for an engine upgrade. "When we launched the Durango in 2014, this is the one we really wanted," says Tim Kuniskis, head of FCA US' passenger car brands. There's no doubt this is an enthusiast-oriented SUV. Dodge even went to the trouble of certifying the Durango SRT's 12.9-second quarter-mile time with the NHRA and tested it a Virginia International Raceway. Buy a Durango SRT, and you get a full day at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. When's the last time anyone did all of that with a three-row ute? It certainly looks the part. The hood bulges with new air-ducts to help keep the big Hemi chilled appropriately. There's a new front fascia with more air vents and LED fog lamps. Plus, the grille takes on a menacing new glare with a mesh pattern, and the body gets wider wheel flares. Click through the gallery, it really does look like a Charger from some angles.

Dodge bringing revamped Challenger, Charger to Big Apple

The 2014 New York Auto Show will be a big one for Dodge, as the brand has announced that refreshed versions of the 2015 Challenger and 2015 Charger will debut at the show. This is a particularly big deal for the two-door Challenger which, visually, has remained unchanged since is burst back onto the scene in 2008 and helped reignite the muscle car wars.
As a sort of hint, this announcement was accompanied by the picture you see above - the Super Bee logo in the Challenger's new instrument cluster. According to Dodge, the New York debut of a new "powertrain combination" - possibly with the high-output Hellcat V8 - will leave enthusiasts "abuzz."
As for the Charger, Dodge is promising a full redesign that should be a significant departure from the blunt, angry looks of the current model. At this point, there's no indication that the Challenger's new powertrain could be fitted to the Charger, although considering how mechanically similar these two vehicles have been, it doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility.