The most powerful SUV ever can now be ordered from Dodge today.
Dodge, it seems, didn’t get the memo about this whole going green initiative that the rest of the automakers were receiving. As while everyone else in the car industry transitions to EVs and other clean technology, the Dodge has instead recently opened the order books to this 710 hp Durango SRT Hellcat SUV.
After the Challenger and Charger Hellcat, the Durango three-row SUV here is the latest in Dodge’s continued attempts to stuff its monster 6.2 litre HEMI Hellcat supercharged V8 into every single car within its lineup. Producing a staggering 710 hp and 875 Nm of torque, the Durango can easily lay claim to the title of the most powerful SUV ever.
Mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, this large SUV completes the century sprint in a 911-rivalling 3.5 seconds. On the drag strip meanwhile, a quarter mile time is an NHRA certified 11.5 seconds. To put it into perspective, that is about the same time achieved by an Audi R8 V10. These impressive straight line speeds are aided of course by the Durango Hellcat’s standard fit Launch Assist and Launch Control, though that beast under the hood deserves most of the credit here.
Continuing on other performance upgrades, the Durango SRT Hellcat adds selectable SRT Drive modes with options of Street (Auto), Sport and Track. All in an attempt to give the driver their best chance rein in what is hiding under the bonnet bulge of this insane SUV.
Braking performance has been significantly improved too over the standard Durango, thanks to Brembo brakes all round. Six pistons up front and four pistons out the back clamp onto massive vented rotors, thus bringing this 2.5 ton SUV to a dead stop from 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 116 ft (35 m).
Speaking of upgrades over the standard SUV, the SRT Hellcat Durango gains a radically revised front fascia design. Complete with a new chin splitter, updated engine oil cooler duct, air guide and snorkel for cold air induction. A bespoke rear spoiler is added out the back to not only balance the meaner aesthetics up front, but also to improve the aerodynamic balance of this performance SUV. According to Dodge, these aerodynamic modifications done here represents a 400% increase in rear downforce when the Durango is at its 180 mph (290 km/h) top speed.
Nevertheless, despite its jaw-dropping performance being the main selling point, Dodge has also focused on the practicality aspect of this monster SUV. The SRT Hellcat variant still maintains the Durango’s best-in-class towing capacity, with its ability to tow up nearly 4,000 kg (8,700 lbs). Seven seats are standard too, though there is an optional Lightweight Performance Package which does away with the third row and replaces the second-row captain chairs with 60/40 split folding bench.
On the topic of the interior, the Durango SRT Hellcat maintains the standard largest-in-class 10.1 inch Uconnect 5 central infotainment touchscreen. That said, being a performance variant, a flat-bottom steering wheel also makes an appearance, as does leather and suede combination seats and even SRT-branded floor mats.
Available exclusively for the 2021 model year only, these Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat super SUVs is set to retail at $80,995 (RM 335,000). While it is a whole lot for a Dodge Durango, it doesn’t seem all too much for the world’s most powerful SUV. Moreover, it is a touch cheaper than its Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk stablemate, which incidentally also features the same insane engine.
PRESS RELEASE: Get ready! Performance enthusiasts looking to add a new 710-horsepower 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat three-row SUV to their family will be able to order one starting tomorrow, Fri., Nov. 6. The most powerful SUV ever is exclusively available for the 2021 model year and comes with a starting U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $80,995 (all prices exclude destination).
“The Durango SRT Hellcat can top 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds, cover the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds as certified by the NHRA, has a top speed of 180 mph and can still fit your entire family,” said Tim Kuniskis, Global Head of Alfa Romeo and Head of Passenger Cars – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America. “With three rows of seats, Durango SRT Hellcat is as qualified for a family road trip as it is on a race track, a 710-horsepower muscle car for people with families.”
Deliveries of the Durango SRT Hellcat are scheduled to begin early next year. The 2021 Dodge Durango will be built at the 3 million-square-foot Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) in Detroit.
Form follows function with 2021 Durango updates
The 2021 Dodge Durango model lineup delivers more performance than ever with six distinct models – SXT, GT, Citadel, R/T, SRT 392 and SRT Hellcat. Ranging from efficient V-6 power to the unrivaled performance of the 710-horsepower Durango SRT Hellcat, there is an option for every modern muscle-car performance enthusiast with a family.
The 2021 Durango’s aggressive exterior features a new front fascia, LED low/high projector headlamps, LED daytime running lamp (DRL) signatures, grille, rear spoiler and wheels. On the inside, an all-new, performance-inspired, driver-oriented cockpit, including a new instrument panel, five-times-faster Uconnect 5 with the available largest-in-class 10.1-inch touchscreen, center console and front door uppers, drives Durango’s interior refresh for the 2021 model year. With all of the updates, the interior feels much wider, high-tech and more refined than the outgoing model.
Performance at its core
Durango’s performance improvements begin with the new front fascia design, a new chin splitter, updated engine oil cooler duct, air guide and snorkel for cold air induction. A new, unique rear spoiler creates an improved aerodynamic balance with the new front end design, resulting in a massive increase in rear downforce of more than 400 percent (142 lbs. @ 180 mph).
SRT engineers upgraded the Durango SRT Hellcat to improve handling, including several race-inspired technologies and Brembo brakes, resulting in performance numbers never before seen on a Durango.
Durango SRT Hellcat comes standard with electric power steering (EPS) with selectable steering tuning to better manage increased grip, both improving handling performance and delivering better steering feel and ease of turning efforts at parking lot speeds.
- With EPS and standard SRT Drive modes accessed via the Durango’s new 10.1-inch touchscreen or the mid-mounted switch bank, drivers can tailor their driving experience by controlling transmission shift speeds, steering, paddle shifters, traction, all-wheel drive (AWD) and suspension settings
- SRT Drive modes offer selectable settings for Street (Auto), Sport and Track, while the Custom setting allows the driver to select individual preferences
Race-inspired technologies that come standard for both 2021 Durango SRT models also bolster performance:
- Launch Control – easily accessed from a toggle switch in the cockpit, manages tire slip while launching the vehicle to allow the driver to achieve consistent straight-line acceleration
- Launch Assist – uses wheel speed sensors to mitigate wheel hop at launch and, in milliseconds, modifies the engine torque to regain full grip
The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat delivers excellent braking performance, requiring 116 feet to come to a full stop from 60 mph. The credit belongs to the standard massive Brembo high-performance six-piston, two-piece (front) and four-piston (rear) calipers, and vented rotors at all four corners measuring 15.7 inches (front) and 13.8 inches (rear).
No SUV in the world can tow more or carry more with a faster quarter-mile time than the Durango SRT Hellcat
The Durango has best-in-class towing capacity across its lineup. The supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8, legendary 392-cubic-inch HEMI V-8 and classic 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with the Tow N Go Package outhaul every full-size, three-row SUV on the road, with a towing capability of 8,700 lbs. The award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine has a towing capability of 6,200 lbs.
