A HEMI V8 engine can do wonders even for a massive SUV like the Durango
FCA's Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division just turned the Durango into "America's fastest, most powerful, and most capable three-row SUV."
Debuting at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2018 Durango SRT gets both mechanical and aerodynamic upgrades that allow it to post an NHRA-certified quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds and a 0 to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) acceleration in 4.4 seconds.
That's possible because it has the same powertrain as the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT: a 395-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) HEMI V8 that delivers 475 hp at 6,000 rpm and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque at 4,300 rpm. The engine is mated to a Standard TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission with rev match function that sends torque to all four wheels via a performance-tuned AWD system.
The 2018 Dodge Durango offers seven driving modes including a Sport Mode that reduces shift times by up to 50 percent and delivers up to 65 percent of the engine's torque to the rear wheels. It even has a Track Mode and Launch Control, for those tempted to put a 5,510 lb (2,505 kg) SUV to its paces on the circuit.
The SRT has a Bilstein adaptive damping suspension as well as 3 percent stiffer springs at the front, 16 percent at the rear, and an 18-percent stiffer rear sway bar for better high-speed cornering capability. Stopping power is ensured by a Brembo braking system with six-piston (front) and four-piston (rear) calipers, complete with vented rotors at all four corners.
You will be able to recognize the 2018 Durango SRT thanks to the wide body kit, SRT hood with center air inlet duct, new front and rear fascias and bumpers, LED fog lamps, 4-inch dual round exhaust tips, and five-spoke 20-inch "Goliath" wheels.
Inside, the Durango SRT treats its six passengers with standard leather and suede upholstery, a hand-wrapped dashboard with live silver accent stitching, flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle shifters, heated and ventilated front and heated second-row captain's chairs with embossed SRT logos, an 180-mph speedometer, the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen-based infotainment system, and more.
The 2018 Dodge Durango SRT will arrive in U.S. dealerships in the fourth quarter of this year.