What the world didn’t know it needed in 2020 was a 710-horsepower SUV capable of hauling eight passengers through a snowstorm. But that’s just what the world got, and, apparently, it’s also what 2,000 people felt they absolutely needed.
Dodge said on Thursday that it had taken orders for all 2,000 bonkers Durango SRT Hellcats it plans to build. Certainly, the Hellcatted Durango is the absurdest vehicle yet to get the automaker’s supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8.
Can you blame those 2,000 people for ordering one?
The Durango SRT Hellcat’s version of the Hemi shuffles its 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. Dodge’s testing — which was verified by the National Hot Rod Association — revealed a 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.5 seconds, an 11.5-second quarter-mile run, and a 180-mph top speed.
Few vehicles are faster, and yet the big Dodge is still rated to tow 8,700 pounds.
To match that power, the Durango SRT Hellcat uses a stiffened up suspension and electric power steering with adjustable heft. A Track drive mode sends 70 percent of the power rearward, too. The Durango SRT Hellcat weighs a hefty 5,700 or so pounds unladen — around 1,000 pounds more than the base Durango SXT.
At about $82,500, the Durango SRT Hellcat also costs more than twice the price of a base V6-powered Durango, though, of course it offers more than twice the power. Surprisingly, Dodge offers more than $10,000 in options for its high-zoot SUV. Collectors who placed an order, take note: given the limited production run, it may be possible that your Durango SRT Hellcat is a one of one. Certainly, you’ll want to have a plaque made to illustrate this point in front of your 1 of 1 Durango at Cars and Coffee, just in case everyone can’t hear you bragging about it.
Chrysler has been Hellcatting all the things for the last few years — and buying up every possible fuel economy credit to offset all the premium unleaded these beasts will burn through. The Durango SUV, essentially a stretched version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee with three rows of seats and a rear-drive chassis, was the latest, but it won’t be the last. Though Dodge has said it is only building Durango SRT Hellcats for the 2021 model year, the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is up next, and of course, the Challenger, Charger, and Grand Cherokee Trackhawk are likely to stick around for a while longer.
Amazingly, the Durango’s basic design has been on the road for more than a decade. Its rear-drive underpinnings were developed during the DaimlerChrysler merger of unequals, meaning it shared its basic architecture with the now two generations-old Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
Still, the Durango has kept pace for the most part. This year, a new dash with a 10.1-inch touchscreen is available, and the exterior was tweaked to look more like the Charger sedan. Find a Dodge Durango for sale
