An SUV that can cover the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds, powered by a 475-horsepower engine, and looks intimidating doing it is definitely our cup of tea, and no, we’re not talking about the Trackhawk! In this video, we get a firsthand look at the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT Concept, another SUV addition to the Mopar family that will make the average sports car shake in its boots.
Starting at $64,000, the Durango SRT is a whole lotta vehicle for the price. The magnificent 6.4L Hemi that pushes the SUV is the star of the show, but a lot has gone into this model to make it a great road and track star. The suspension is 3-percent stiffer in the front, and 16-percent stiffer in the back than the non-SRT mode, has an 18-percent stiffer rear rollbar, and adaptive Bilstein shocks. The body is notably more aggressive with a wide-mount front grille, dual exhaust outlets, hood scoop equipped hood with rear facing nostrils.
As you would expect, and need, from a high-performance SUV, the Durango SRT is no one-trick-pony. The SRT features eight different driving modes that will take you from the track to the grocery store, these include (but are not limited to) Sport, Track, Snow, Tow, Valet, and Eco. In Track mode, the AWD system will direct as much as 70-percent of the torque to the rear axle. Tow mode offers an even torque split between the axles, as also turns on active noise cancellation.
This high-performance machine also offers on-demand control over the automatic transmission, stability control, AWD, and custom modes for the suspension and steering. While this might be a big vehicle, it’s not going to feel much like driving a truck, even though it shares some of the capabilities of a pickup.
While other auto manufacturers are shying away from performance SUVs and trucks, Mopar seems to be going all in, and offering one of the best well-rounded performance lineups for every type of driver.