The refreshed 2021 Dodge Durango lineup is here, and it is the performance-oriented SRT Hellcat that draws most of the attention to itself. The SUV comes equipped with the company’s signature supercharged V8 6.2 boosted to 720 PS (710 hp, 530 kW).
Along with the peak torque of 875 Nm (645 feet-pounds), this makes the Durango SRT Hellcat the most powerful production SUV in the world right now, surpassing even the same-engined Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which lags 3 hp behind. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S and BMW X5 M Competition are all quite far behind, too – at least, on paper. The Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid comes closest with its 671 hp (680 PS, 500 kW).
Of course, the performance isn’t only evident on paper. The new Durango needs 3.5 seconds to sprint 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h), hits its speed ceiling at 290 km/h (180 mph) and covers the quarter-mile drag strip in 11.5 seconds. For an SUV that’s five meters or 16.4 feet long with three rows of seats inside, these specs are quite extraordinary, indeed.
The new Durango has permanent AWD and utilizes the same transmission design as the Grand Cherokee. Its suspension receives numerous tweaks to combat insufficient agility in turns, side rolling and overall steering unresponsiveness. Thanks to Brembo brakes, it only needs 35 meters of brake path to drop 60-0 mph (97-0 km/h). Features also include new 20-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires and a special body kit.
The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat should become available in early 2021.