The Dodge Durango has been promoted as the three-row Dodge Charger. That description has held some truth. After all, the Charger and the Durango share the V6 Pentastar and V8 HEMI engines. What they have not shared, however, is the Charger’s SRT powertrains. That all changes with the first ever Durango SRT. While the SRT (Street and Racing Technology) badge might seem like an oxymoron on a crossover, skeptics may change their minds when they learn of the Durgano’s 392 cubic inch V8 that produces 475 horsepower and 490 pound feet of torque. They also may be swayed by the all wheel burnouts such a powertrain can produce with the Durango’s all-wheel-drive setup. Zero to sixty comes in at just 4.4 seconds. Indeed, a seven passenger family hauler never looked like so much fun. Exterior modifications on the SRT include a functional hood scoop that looks like it was swiped from the Charger Hellcat, and the looks-like-a-stormtrooper grille and lower fascia. A t-shifter replaces the rotary knob and commands the 8 speed automatic. Stiffer springs and sway bars aid in handling, and Brembo brakes bring the crossover to a stop. If this SRT-badged Durango sounds like a cure for the common crossover, you can find it at Dodge dealers beginning in the fall of 2017.
The big news for the Challenger is the 2015 SRT Hellcat. The supercharged Hemi that lurks beneath the Hellcat’s hood is every bit as mind blowing as one would expect, producing 707 hp. Certainly Dodge has decided its too-big-to-be-a-ponycar needed to take the brute force approach since its size distances it from being the relatively agile cars that the Mustang and Camaro are. Fortunately for Challenger fans the dated interior has been ditched in favor of a newly sculpted dash and various color combinations that make the Challenger less of dreary chamber. Sadly, the pistol grip shifter has been returned to the parts bin. Other available engines include the 3.6L Pentastar V6 (finally coupled to an 8-speed automatic), 5.7L Hemi V8, and 6.2L Hemi V8. Unlike the Chevy and Ford, a manual transmission is offered only with the V8’s. And, setting itself apart from stalemate Charger Hellcat, the Challenger actually lets you shift through the gears with a manual transmission as you attempt to make use of those 707 supercharged horses.
Stand by because the heroes of automotive banter are back in front of the video camera. In our season premiere we cover GM’s hotly anticipated new vehicle of the century: the Chevrolet Volt. We would be remiss to give it all away here, but in a nut shell, the boys are smitten. Read more…
Let’s get one thing out of the way. If you want the best minivan for sale today, you want a Honda Odyssey. But what if you’re looking for the best value? That’s where things get complicated, and Dodge has made the decision more difficult with an improved Grand Caravan for 2011. Read more…
It’s no secret that Chrysler is playing catch up this year and rolling out plenty in terms of product refinement and refreshment. The latest batch of information goodness we have to share comes in the form of the pricing strategy on the new-for-2011 Dodge lineup. We were going to make mention of this in PODCAST Episode 13, but frankly we found that announcing a whole bunch of figures over the air just amounts to baffled expresions and silly blunderous commentary. So here is a post dedicated to the sole advancement of showroom knowledge. Oh, we’ve also included photo galleries of all the new sheetmetal, from the all-new Durango to the drag-strip-ready Challenger SRT8 392, for your view pleasure. Enjoy! Read more…
Well, that didn’t take long. Less than 48 hours after nabbing some shots of a caravan of Grand Caravans out for a shakedown cruise, Dodge proliferated the cybernets with specs and glamor photos of its latest family hauler. Curiously, Dodge contracted a man (and only a man) and his surfboard for these photos. Sport van? Someone tried that one already. Man van? Read more…
If you think the 2011 Dodge Avenger looks a lot like the 2010 model, you are mostly correct. Aside from a new split-crosshair grille and lower fascia, the exterior visage is essentially the same. But with this Avenger, Dodge was a little more concerned about your driving experience. Read more…
Chrysler has yet to release the details on the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan, but it would appear they aren’t too concerned about them being seen. Now, as you can see from these pictures, camouflage wouldn’t hide much more than new tail lamps, headlamps, and a front fascia and grille. Still, no official press release usually means no uncovering of the goods. Apparently this caravan of Grand Caravans didn’t get that memo. What we can’t see is what is under the hood and all our money is riding on the new 3.6L V6, which it will share with the Town & Country, as well as most of Chrysler’s refreshed lineup. Now we just need to spot the the Grand Caravan and the Town & Country’s German-engineered counterpart (the Volkswagen Routan) and the set will be complete. Click through to see the rest of the pictures we nabbed! Read more…
