- Christmas tree-topped Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with HPE1000 upgrade reached 181 mph
- Hennessey’s previous record was 173 mph using a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody
- HPE1000 upgrade bumps the Trackhawk’s output from 707 to 1,012 hp
Car and truck tuner Hennessey Performance found an original way to entertain auto enthusiasts during the holidays by presenting the World’s Fastest Christmas Tree. And it broke its 2017 record using a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk to get that tree up to speed.
The plan is actually very simple: securely strap a Christmas tree to the roof of a speedy vehicle, hit the track and record the event on video for fun. Hennessey tried this two years ago with a Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody and reached 173 mph (277 km/h). This time around, the vehicle of choice was a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with HPE1000 upgrade, which attained a festive top speed of 181 mph (290 km/h).
A roof rack held by suction cups were fitted to the Jeep’s roof, on which the Christmas tree—decorated with a set of lights, of course, was strapped down. The top speed run was performed at the Continental Uvalde Proving Grounds in Texas, which includes an 8.5-mile main track and nine courses for testing various performance and vehicle dynamics.
As for the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, it’s equipped with a supercharged, 6.2-litre Hellcat V8 that produced 707 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque in stock form. According to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, it can blast from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, clear the quarter mile in 11.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 mph.
However, Hennessey’s HPE1000 upgrade package, which is available on the 2018 to 2020 Trackhawk, includes a bunch of engine modifications, bumping output to 1,012 hp and 969 lb.-ft. The tuner claims a 0-60 mph time of 2.6 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 10.2 seconds @ 133 mph.
Driving the Jeep at 181 mph without the Christmas tree either falling off, or causing enough aerodynamic drag to unsettle the vehicle, was probably a challenge, but that’s why these folks performed their stunt on a closed course with a professional driver at the helm. Kids, don’t try this at home, and tell your dads not to do it either.
Source: Hennessey Performance
