The 2014 Dodge Durango will debut next week at the 2013 New York International Auto Show but the Chrysler Group issued the first teased of the refreshed ute this morning with a shot of a new taillight. It is clear that the new Durango will feature a similar “race track” taillight design to that seen on the current Dodge Charger and Dodge Dart…and from what we can see so far, it looks freakin’ awesome.
Unlike the Charger or the Dart which both have the look of individual LEDs running around the perimeter of the massive taillight, it looks as though the 2014 Durango will have a lighting setup to provide the look of one large, continuous light source. This could just be a result of the obvious photoshopping done to make the picture of the 2014 Durango more “mysterious” but it definitely looks in this picture like the Durango will share the general design of the Charger and Dart taillights but with a different look when all lit up.
Aside from the new taillight, nothing is known about the 2014 Dodge Durango but we can expect some sort of refresh across the front end with an overall exterior design that should be very similar to the new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The new Durango will make its formal debut next week at the New York Auto Show.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
