According to a handful of insider reports, the Dodge Durango will finally be offered in high performance SRT trim for the 2018 model year – likely offering comparably performance to the current SRT Jeep Grand Cherokee, but with the “street performance style” of the Dodge brand. Of course, this isn’t the first time that we have heard rumors of an SRT Durango, but when coupled with the reports of Durango test vehicles sporting a similar sporty front end to the 2017 SRT Jeep (shown above), it seems more likely than ever that we will finally get a proper high performance Durango.
While we don’t have any official information on the 2018 Dodge Durango, we can expect that it will be mechanically identical to the current Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, with the 392 cubic inch Hemi sending 475 horsepower and 470lb-ft of torque to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission and an advanced all-wheel drive system. This drivetrain makes the SRT Jeep the quickest and fastest SUV in the world, and the slightly larger Dodge Durango should offer very similar performance.
Aiding in that performance will be a big Brembo brake setup and an active dampening suspension system, along with selectable drive modes to make the Durango the ideal vehicle in any driving condition – from snowy roads to a closed circuit road course.
We can also expect some lightweight, package specific wheels wrapped in high performance rubber, a front fascia similar to the one shown on the 2017 SRT Jeep above and a premium cabin…although we can also expect a price in the $60k range.
Even though we don’t have any concrete details, a Dodge Durango SRT based on the SRT Jeep will create the best performing Dodge SUV ever – finally giving Mopar fans the street performance SUV that they have been clamoring for over the past few years.
Note: I picked a picture of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT because the SRT Durango is expected to have a similar lower grille design.
"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.
