Durango SRT

Make
Dodge
Segment
SUV

Only a couple of days ago, Dodge subtly teased what appears to be a Durango SRT Hellcat in a video promoting the brand and the "Fast and Furious" franchise. There were split-second shots of a front side fender wearing the Hellcat logo along with the dark silhouette of a Dodge Durango. Considering the automaker has stuffed the Hellcat V8 into both the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger as well as the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, it's only logical the Durango will be the next recipient.

Sources close to Dodge are now claiming the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat will debut at the 2020 New York Auto Show this April. The Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee not only share a unibody platform but are also built alongside each other in Detroit, Michigan.

Dropping the Hellcat under the Durango's hood was not a major engineering challenge for the Dodge SRT because a majority of the work had already been done for the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. This super SUV produces a total of 707 horsepower thanks to that 6.2-liter supercharged V8. Power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Expect a single-speed active transfer case to manage power along with the aid of an electronic limited-slip differential out back.

The Trackhawk does 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile of 11.6 seconds. Top speed is about 180 mph.

However, don't be surprised if the Durango Hellcat is a bit slower for one main reason: its third-row seat adds weight. It's possible Dodge could eliminate this to save weight but, on the other hand, then one of the Durango's main selling points would be gone. We could see marketing the Durango Hellcat as the fastest three-row SUV in the world. The 7,200-pound tow rating should be about the same. Currently, the 475-hp Dodge Durango SRT is the most powerful in the lineup, but we doubt anyone will complain about an additional 232 ponies.