The folks at Dodge do like seem fond of the phrase “the most powerful ever …” preceding so many of its products, the latest being the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat.
The newest “most powerful” model, in this case, sport-utility vehicle, puts out 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque, which was revealed nearly two months ago. However, what wasn’t known at the time was how much all of that white knuckle-inducing would cost — $80,995, excluding the destination fee, for the 2021 model year.
The base model Durango, powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, comes with a starting price of $31,765, again excluding delivery fees.
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The newest snarling beast model continues Fiat Chrysler’s efforts to wring out every last drop of horsepower from its vehicles, like the two-door Challenger and four-door Charger. The new Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat V-8, mated to the quick-shifting TorqueFlite 8HP95 8-speed automatic transmission.
It roars from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, and it posts a quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.5 seconds as certified by National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Finally, it has a top speed of 180 mph, not that you’ll need to go that fast … very often.
“Durango is our Dodge three-row muscle car,” said Tim Kuniskis, Global head of Alfa Romeo and head of Passenger Cars – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA – North America. “Nowhere but Dodge can you find an SUV that can tow more or carry more with a faster quarter-time than the Durango SRT Hellcat.”
However, if $80K-plus is a little out of your price range, but want a Durango, there are plenty of options. Dodge Durango SXT, GT, R/T, Citadel and SRT 392 models. The SRT 392 boasts the brand’s well-known 392-cubic-inch HEMI V-8 engine.
(Dodge shoots to top of quality charts, first Detroit brand named #1 on JD Power IQS.)
Additionally, you can get the 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 pounds.
The 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 Durango R/T AWD starts at a U.S. MSRP of $52,900 and borrows some of the SRT exterior look with black Brembo six-piston brakes, Track, Sport, Snow and Tow drive modes, an increased top speed of 145 mph and a new SRT-tuned performance exhaust.
Newly repackaged Durango Citadel starts at a U.S MSRP of $47,805; all-in luxury trim of the Durango lineup delivers many premium features as standard equipment, offering both 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 and 5.7-liter Hemi, both of which include standard towing equipment.
The new ute also gets a revamped interior for 2021. The “performance-inspired, driver-oriented” cockpit gets a new instrument panel, the five-times-faster Uconnect 5 with the largest-in-class 10.1-inch touchscreen, center console and front door uppers. With all of the updates, the interior feels much wider, high-tech and more refined than the outgoing model.
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Deliveries of some models are scheduled to begin later this year. Durango SRT Hellcat will open for dealer orders this fall. Deliveries of the Durango SRT Hellcat are scheduled to begin early next year, the company noted.
