The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is the Texas Auto Writers Association’s 2015 Performance Utility of Texas

Yesterday was an ugly mess of a day in Dallas, TX. As if the air wasn’t cold enough, chilling rain fell constantly. Semis on the highway constantly spun up blinding mists, which were only temporarily cut through by the wipers of the vehicles my colleagues in the Texas Auto Writers Association and I were driving. Sunday evening, we headquartered near the Texas Motor Speedway for our annual Texas Auto Roundup. The next day, we hit the local roads and highway in more than 50 vehicles to determine the winners of a variety of categories. Despite the conditions, we eventually saw a clear winner of the Performance Utility of Texas award.

The field for that prize included only a few competitors. Mercedes-Benz pitted its 2015 GLA45 AMG against Jeep’s 2015 Grand Cherokee SRT and Land Rover’s 2015 Range Rover Sport Supercharged/Range Rover Long Wheelbase Supercharged. All of them differed in major ways. The $66,975 baby Benz had a torque-rich, 355-horsepower turbocharged 2-liter I4 under its hood. The Brits moved with the 510 horsepower from their supercharged 5-liter V8s. Jeep’s $76,465 SRT SUV cranked out 475 horsepower from its naturally aspirated 6.4-liter HEMI V8.

Although the GLA had plenty of punch and made an ear-pleasing popping and burbling sound when I let off of its right pedal, it was too small and rough-riding for my tastes. It was also marred by a boy-racer wing over its rear hatch. I can see some guys going for that, but I’m not one of them.

I didn’t get a chance to drive the RR Sport. However, the first rig I took out into the gray misery was the LWB Range Rover. It was as quick as it was plush, but, being a high-luxury vehicle, it wasn’t as aggressive when accelerating to illegal enthusiast speeds as its American rival. The Grand Cherokee SRT’s savagery is part of its gas-chugging charm. Plus, compared to the stretched double-R, which starts at $106,995, the Jeep is a relative bargain.

Last year, I spent a week zooming around Austin in the Grand Cherokee SRT, so I was familiar with its muscular styling, abundant and thrilling power, and convenient interior tech (including a mobile wireless internet connection and SRT Performance Pages). I’m convinced that features such as those helped it win the title of Performance Utility of Texas. The Jeep hot rod should be able to take its trophy home to FCA in a hurry…if the weather cooperates.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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