Big price increase for Jeep and Chrysler SRT models

Jeep and Chrysler’s SRT models have been slapped with a significant price hike in light of the weakening Aussie dollar.

Prices for the Chrysler 300 have climbed by $6000 across the range, which sees the 300 SRT Core now pegged at $64,000 and the standard variant at $74,000.

The 300 SRT’s off-roader relation in the Grand Cherokee has also been hit with the increase, seeing the hemi-equipped SRT SUV priced now at $90,000.

MOTOR understands the Australian dollar is completely to blame, which was at its strongest when the second-generation 300 SRT and Grand Cherokee SRT launched in 2012 and 2013, allowing both cars to be priced at $66,000 and $77,000 respectively.

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However, since that period, when the Australia dollar was trading at above 1 US dollar, it has fallen to a trading price of around 70 cents, driving up the price of stock for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Today the second-gen 300 SRT is $9000 more expensive than in 2012 while the second-gen Grand Cherokee SRT’s price has grown by $13,000 since 2013.

While both have copped an eight-speed transmission and been refreshed in that time, we haven't their prices at such heights since the Aussie dollar last fell against the US greenback in 2008-2009.

It will no doubt be a setback for the 300 SRT, which only sells in Australia and the Middle East, and is trying to make a foothold in a segment which will see rivals like the Commodore and Falcon gone by 2017.

Meanwhile, despite the soaring hike, the Grand Cherokee SRT remains one of the cheapest performance full-size SUVs on the market.