Jeep uncovers the 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 packing 465 hp

Following a one-year hiatus, Jeep is returning the fire-breathing Grand Cherokee SRT8 to the lineup for 2012, which made its world debut at the New York Auto Show. Central to the changes is a new 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine producing 465 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque--a 45-hp and 45-lb-ft improvement over the outgoing 6.1-liter unit. Jeep says the SRT8 is good to hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, cover the quarter-mile in the mid-13-second range and reach a top speed of 155 mph.

Hyundai i30 SR – a taste of Sporty Hyundai

Hyundai in Australia has revealed the Hyundai i30 SR, an i30 with a 2.0 litre petrol engine and a sportier edge. Hyundai in the UK defaults to its diesel engine offerings across almost its entire range, with the Golf challenging i30 offering only a 1.4 litre petrol with a very modest 98bhp apart from the diesel offerings. But Hyundai in Australia marches to its own beat and has rather bigger ambitions for the brand than Hyundai exhibit in most of the rest of the world, with thoughts about a Hyundai ‘Genesis’ luxury brand (although that seems to have come to nought so far) and their very own ‘Sporty’ take for the Hyundai range in the ‘SR’ model.

SsangYong Korando Sports arrives

SsangYong has extended the appeal of their budget SUV Korando by launching the Korando Sports, a cross between a family car and a pick-up. Now SsangYong are pitching in to the Bob the Builder market with their take on vehicles like the Mitsubishi L200 (which has just been given a five year warranty by Mitsubishi) with the SsangYong Korando Sports. The Korando Sports is a double cab pickup with four doors and five seats that SsangYong says offers a working vehicle with 4WD, 2.3 tonne towing capacity and all the appointments of a family car.