Have we seen the final V8 Jeep? Or is there still hope for hi-po version of Gladiator, Grand Cherokee and more?

The prospect of a V8-powered Jeep Gladiator pick-up has been swirling ever since Jeep released the Wrangler Rubicon 392 V8 a couple of years ago.

Despite the potential for such a model in ute- and V8-loving Australia, it’s safe to say it’s never going to happen.

Speaking with Australian journalists for the reveal of this year’s Jeep Easter Safari concepts, head of Jeep exterior design, Mark Allen, told people to get in quick if they want a V8 Jeep.

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Mr Allen was asked by CarsGuide whether Jeep’s electrification push had ended any possibility of a future V8-powered Jeep, to which he responded:

“I’m not going to comment much on future production, but if you want a V8 Jeep, I’d get one sooner rather than later.”

Without explicitly saying it, Mr Allen has confirmed that further applications of the V8 petrol engine in Jeep models won’t happen.

It’s probably not a huge surprise given the off-road brand’s sharpened focus on electrified powertrains.

Jeep has announced that it will offer at least one fully electric model across each SUV segment by 2025, with electrified vehicles expected to make up 70 per cent of global sales by the same year.

But fans of high-powered off-roaders will likely still be disappointed.

Jeep revealed the Wrangler Rubicon 392 concept in mid-2020 that was powered by a Hemi 392 cubic-inch V8, translating to 6.4 litres – the same as the Chrysler 300 SRT.

It delivered a meaty 336kW of power and 609Nm of torque, driving all four wheels via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

Then in November 2020 Jeep confirmed the 392 would go into production, and it even upped power and torque to 350kW/637Nm, ensuring a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.5 seconds.

But, sadly for Australian fans, it was only produced for left-hand drive markets like North America.

The other current Jeep V8 – and the only one offered in Australia – is the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The big brutal V8 pumps out 522kW/868Nm and it can cover 0-100km/h in a blistering 3.7 seconds.