There have long been rumors that the Dodge Durango will be
killed off for the 2015 model year but according to attendees at the recent
Chrysler Group national dealer convention; one of the vehicles on display was a
refreshed Durango that will come for the 2014 model year.The most significant feature of the 2014
Durango was the “race track” style tail light setup similar to that found on
the newest Dodge Charger and the new Dodge Dart.
This comes as a pretty big surprise considering all of the
news that the Dodge Durango will soon be removed from the lineup but with a few
years until the Durango is killed off, a facelift could help the powerful Dodge
SUV sell a little better before it rides off into the sunset.The Durango is a great vehicle but sales have
been slow this summer while the rest of the segment – including the Jeep Grand
Cherokee and the Ford Explorer – are selling at a fairly strong rate.
In addition to receiving an exterior refresh for the 2014
model year, the Dodge Durango should receive a new 8-speed automatic
transmission in the next year or so.The
8-speed transmission is already at work in the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler
300 along with the Ram 1500 when equipped with the 3.6L Pentastar V6 and this
gearbox allows for an impressive mix of strong acceleration and great fuel
economy.Making the sporty Durango even
more aggressive with the help of the LED race track tail light along with a new
transmission that will increase performance and fuel economy could help the
full sized Dodge SUV sell better before its run comes to an end.
"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.
