On April 20, 2011, Jeep announced that the SRT8 version would be debuted at the 2011 New York Auto Show. According to Chrysler, it is the most powerful Jeep ever built. 0–60 and quarter-mile times have not been measured yet, but are expected to be on par with the previous generation SRT8. The new Cherokee SRT8, which started production on July 16, 2011,[44] is equipped with a 470 hp (350 kW; 480 PS) 6.4 L Hemi V8 engine. Jeep claims the new SRT8 gets 13 percent better fuel economy than its predecessor.[citation needed] To keep the gas mileage respectable,[clarification needed] Jeep has employed a new active exhaust system that lets Chrysler's cylinder-deactivating Fuel Saver Technology operate over a wider rpm band. Chrysler claims that with the larger gas tank, the SUV can now travel up to 500 miles (800 km) on a single tank, while other sources estimate range to be 450 miles (720 km). In 2009, the company announced a US$1.8 billion, 285,000 square feet (26,477 m2) expansion of its Jefferson North Assembly plant to allow flexible manufacture of the next-generation model, as well as the 2011+ Dodge Durango off the same platform that was developed jointly with Mercedes (ML Chassis).
