SRT Durango…

In the automotive world, there are a lot of minds that breed insanity. Christian Von Koenigsegg and his brand, Koenigsegg, John Hennessey and HPE (Hennessey Performance Engineering) and my personal favorite, Ralph Giles and SRT (Street and Racing Technology). From the Viper to the Hellcat and Demon), SRT had taken the term ” American Muscle” and added steroids. And just when we thought the SRT Challenger Demon was…doing entirely too much, SRT threw something else at us.


SRT took the Durango and dropped the monster 6.4L HEMI in it and dubbed it, the SRT Durango. That means 475HP in a three row SUV. That also means the Durango would become the fastest 3 row SUV produced in America.

I’d expect the SRT Durango to be super quick. Maybe not as quick as the SRT Grand Cherokee, which is near 500lbs lighter but still a 0-60 time in the sub 5 second range and a quarter time in the sub 14 second range. Not lightning fast when compared to other high performance cars, but when compared to the Durango’s direct competition, that’s epic. 


Speaking of competition, the SRT Durango will probably sit at or around $70k. The nearest competitors from GM (Yukon, Tahoe, Suburban and Escalde) wouldn’t even be close on power and speed and the GL63 AMG has more power at 550HP but it’s 0-60 time would fall around the same. The main difference would be the $125k price tag, so the SRT Durango is definitely more bang for your buck.

The SRT Durango also has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The 5500lb beast will get it’s stopping power from massive 15″ and 13.8″, 6 piston brembo brakes and the handling has been tuned to perfection. You also have the option of several drive modes which meet virtually any situation. The suspension, engine and drivetrain settings depend on the selected mode. Generally, the sport, street and track modes are more for the performance driving while snow, tow, valet and eco modes are more for their various situations.


In terms of interior and exterior design, the SRT Durango is definitely tasteful. Inside, the Durango is strictly a six seater with an optional middle console for the second row. You get the performance touches like carbon fiber accents, but the inside is not overly done. You also get FCA’s Unconnect infotainment system standard with a customizable display. Outside is also clean. You can tell that the SRT Durango is no slouch. It almost resembles the Charger with its scoops and subtle tender flares. Lastly, 20″ wheels pull the look together. 

The SRT Durango will probably hit show rooms later on this year. It will defiantly be interesting to see how it performs against it’s rivals. This might just be a warning shot to GM and Ford. The SRT Durango fills a niche that no thought about but is useful. It’s the perfect way to move the family (and other things) without sacrificing the cool factor or add one.

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