If Dodge’s intention was to build a car that terrifies the pants off the driver, they’ve far exceeded expectation. With a whopping 710hp (that’s over 10% more than a Ferrari Roma Spider and the McLaren GT) this is American muscle at its beefiest. Even before you push buttons that say ‘Launch’ or ‘Track,’ this car growls like a T-Rex that’s just stepped on a Lego. But just like the T-Rex, this model will soon be extinct, as after all the 2023 models are sold, it’s goodbye to gasoline-powered Hellcat engine.
Driving through any suburban area will make you feel like you’re in a 1950s western—that moment when the stranger rolls into town and townsfolk grab their children, lock their doors, and close the shutters. In a practical context—the Durango Hellcat means you’ll never have to worry about someone letting you in during a merge ever again—it has that much road presence. And while this spacious, AWD Durango ‘gray man’ would be well suited to the FBI’s latest fleet, it’s marvelous to consider how, in a few years, this mighty, insanely powerful automobile might be in the hands of an Uber or Lyft drivers.
So, what’s it like to actually drive? When I climbed up into the deeply sculpted and bolstered driver’s seat, I was intimidated. I’d read the specs. I’d watched videos on YouTube and it was vital I didn’t play any early Metallica or Iron Maiden whilst driving. When the engine roared to life, the car suddenly felt like a bodybuilder on a skateboard: an American SUV with a 6.2L Supercharged HEMI V8 SRT engine, 710hp, and 645 lb-ft of torque, what could go wrong as I explore the little towns of rural New Jersey, and then potter up the Hudson River?
While there’s lots to play with in the cockpit, this Durango oozes luxury. The soft ‘Demonic Red’ leather with ivory stitching gave the feel of an Italian GT. Heated and cooled seats (front and back), along with a heated steering wheel, silver paddle shifters, and other opulent refinements offer the driver all the advantages one would expect in a luxury sedan, which helps explain the sticker price of $104,670. From the outside, it really is the ‘gray man’ as it looks pretty much like any other Dodge Durango—a fact which most automotive enthusiasts may feel strongly about, depending on whether they want to stand out or blend in when behind the wheel of an expensive car. On the highway, other Dodge drivers often gave a ‘thumbs-up.’
Coming back to the interior. The collapsible third row seating allows for a total passenger capacity of six, which means you can terrify any friends mad enough to accompany you to a track. For anyone who spends six figures on an SUV like this, NOT taking it to a track at least a few times would be a crime. Though it might be worth taking a few warm up laps before you really let get into the throttle as the center of gravity is just a bit higher than most track cars.
Driving the Durango on the highway of course, you only experience a splinter from the tree of what it’s actually capable of doing. And I don’t just mean speed. This is as comfortable as any luxury SUV I’ve tested over the last few years, plus there’s more room than a Volvo wagon with the seats down—certainly enough for skis or bikes or surfboards.
Could this be the vehicle that does it all then? Possibly, though even with a base price of around $91,000, this muscled version of the Durango is most likely destined for someone with a fat wallet and has the discipline to enjoy it as a daily driver while holding on to their license. It may also be something that collectors soon begin to salivate over since this is the last of the breed. According to Hemmings, “Dodge’s parent automaker and the producer of the Hellcat engine, Stellantis, has committed to refining electric power for the foreseeable future, much like most automakers.”
And so with the cessation of production, there go my dreams of winning The Cannonball Run.
