And The Award For Worst Gas Mileage Ever Goes To This Manual Jeep Cherokee Chief With A Viper V10
More and more car companies are choosing to abandon their environmentally conscious electric and alternative fuel vehicles in favor of good ol' V8s regardless of the ever-worsening human-caused climate crisis that even insurance companies recognize. We haven't quite gotten back to early 2000s levels of excess just yet, since there still aren't any new V10-powered trucks on sale as of this moment.
If you're the type of person who thinks that's a cryin' shame, you probably won't mind the culturally appropriative name or understand the triple-down irony of the tribal sidestripes on this 1979 Jeep Cherokee Chief restomod that's currently listed for auction on Bring A Trailer. It's hiding an 825 horsepower, 9-liter Prefix Viper Gen-V V10 engine and a Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual transmission underneath its deliciously retro Frosted Glass Blue and Aston Martin Status White two-door body. Assembled by the classic Jeep reimaginers at Vigilante 4x4, it even has a blue-jean denim interior. If that doesn't scream 'Merica to you then I don't know what to say.
This is one clean restomod (in looks, not in tailpipe emissions)
The absolute whopper of an engine under this Jeep's tall hood was factory rated for 825 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque, and it has electronic fuel injection, carbon fiber valve covers, brushless cooling fans, and a dual exhaust system with Borla mufflers. There are a few videos included on the Bring A Trailer ad for the truck, and the driving footage shows how vicious the Viper V10 sounds.
It's built on a custom-fabricated Roadster Shop chassis and has a four-link rear with Fox dampers, Baer six-piston disc brakes, and Dana 44 and Dana 60 axles with manually locking front hubs, so it seems to have all the necessary components to handle the obscene amount of power produced by the snarling V10 under its hood — whether you keep it on the road or choose to venture off. It even has modern niceties including Vintage Air climate control, power windows, a Bluetooth-capable radio, and power steering courtesy of a Borgeson quick-ratio box.
The digital odometer shows 3,200 miles, but there is a note about a prior engine repair following a 'seize' incident in 2024 that might cause some trepidation, but if you've got the money to spend on this beast you probably have the money to keep it fueled and running, too. If this appeals to you, the auction ends very soon so don't miss your chance.