Fiat Chrysler Automobiles looks to be on a mission to Hellcat all things, and we can't blame them. The latest to receive the company's supercharged motor from Hell is the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, and order books for the high-performance SUV opened Friday.
If you plan to own this fast family hauler, you'd better act, well, fast. Numbers are limited and production, which starts next January at a plant in Detroit, will only last six months.
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
Why such a short run? Tim Kuniskis, head of passenger vehicles at FCA, said at the Durango SRT Hellcat's August launch that the potent powertrain won't meet new EVAP emissions requirements for the 2022 model year in the Durango’s platform. Due to production constraints, he also estimated that the Durango SRT Hellcat could be rarer than the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, of which just 3,300 were made.
The vehicle is priced to start at $82,490, including destination, which makes it more than twice as expensive as the base Durango (priced from $33,260). Of course, the SRT Hellcat version will run from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, cover the quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds at 118 mph (certified by the NHRA), and reach a top speed of 180 mph.
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
This is made possible by the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 under the hood, which in this application is tuned to deliver 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque. The engine is hooked up to an 8-speed automatic and helping to get the power to the ground is an all-wheel-drive system with a limited-slip differential at the rear axle.
The Durango SRT Hellcat also features 20-inch wheels shod with 295/45-size Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season tires (summer tires are available), plus mighty Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers and 15.8-inch rotors up front and four-piston calipers with 13.8-inch rotors up back. Naturally, the vehicle also comes fully loaded with all the top features offered on the Durango including the latest Uconnect infotainment system with a 10.1-inch screen.
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
Buyers also receive a full-day session at the Bondurant High Performance Driving School in Chandler, Arizona, which Dodge sponsors.
While the three-row Durango SRT Hellcat will soon be gone, the two-row 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk powered by the same engine will still be on offer. Buyers can also opt to have the engine in a pickup body style for the first time thanks to the arrival of the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX.
