SCIENCE

Dodge is turning up the heat in the full-size SUV segment, introducing a new affordable performance package for the all-new 2011 Dodge Durango SUV – the Dodge Durango Heat. Designed to complement the performance-tuned Durango R/T, the new Heat package delivers aggressive styling, the high-performing 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine with 295 horsepower and a surprisingly affordable price. With a starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Retail Price (MSRP) of $30,295 (excluding destination), the Dodge Durango Heat will be available at dealerships across the country in the Spring of 2011.

“Durango Heat is about handling performance and a street presence that puts the sport in sport- utility,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand – Chrysler Group LLC. “The unibody rear-wheel-drive (available all-wheel-drive), two-row exclusive seating configuration makes this the lightest Durango model. A world-class double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension make Heat a handling champ that moves out smartly with 295 horsepower, a dual-exhaust, tuned air induction, custom 20-inch Satin Carbon finished wheels while delivering ultimate utility with more storage room at 50 cubic feet than anything it competes with. The Durango Heat also is among the most efficient in its class at 23 miles per gallon on the highway.  For the money, there’s truly nothing like it on the market.”

From the outside, the Durango Heat and the R/T have a striking resemblance. Both feature a unique fascia with fog lamps, a color-matched grille and dark headlamp bezels. The color-matched body kit, wheel lips and rear fascia with integrated dual chrome exhaust outlets, give the Heat a lower stance.

Built on the Durango’s new unibody platform, which is 25 percent stiffer than the Durango it replaces, the five-passenger Heat also shares R/T’s performance-biased engineering, including its aggressive suspension tuning, performance steering, unique 20-inch wheels with all-season performance tires (three-season high-performance tires for even greater grip and response also are available), a 20-mm lower ride height, tuned dual-exhaust and a modernized interior that holds drivers in their seats.

Where the R/T is powered by the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine, the Heat is powered by the new Pentastar V-6 engine. The 3.6-liter V-6 engine is an all-new design, featuring double-overhead camshafts (DOHC) and a high-pressure die-cast aluminum cylinder block in a 60 degree configuration. Contributing to best-in-class V-6 towing at 6,200 lbs. and a top speed of 130 miles per hour, the engine delivers 295 horsepower (216 kW) at 6,350 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. (353 N*m) of torque at 4,500 rpm. The EPA fuel economy miles per gallon (mpg) (City/Hwy) are 16/23 for the rear-wheel-drive model and 16/22 for the all-wheel-drive model.

While Heat entices with performance-biased styling and handling, the newest Durango also maintains SUV capability with room for five passengers and 50 cubic feet of storage space—more storage capacity behind the second row than any other five-passenger vehicle on the market– including 5.9 cubic feet of under-floor storage. As in the R/T, Heat comes standard with Uconnect Voice Command and a premium 506 Watt Alpine audio system with 10 speakers, including a subwoofer.