Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat returns as world’s most powerful SUV

The supercar-baiting Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is returning to the US Dodge line-up for one last model year as the brand prepares to wave goodbye to its thunderous HEMI V8 powertrains.

Originally released as a single-year special in 2020, the Durango SRT Hellcat immediately became and has now subsequently retained its crown as the world’s most powerful production SUV, with its supercharged 6.2-litre V8 dishing out a mega 522kW/875Nm, resulting in a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.6 seconds.

That ballistic sprint time, however, isn’t enough to see it reclaim its title as the world’s quickest SUV. That crown is now shared by the new 520kW/900Nm Aston Martin DBX707 and the Porsche Cayenne GT, both of which are claimed to hit 100km/h in just 3.3sec.

Italy’s raging bull brand will more than likely have something to say about that too, with the upcoming Lamborghini Urus Performante expected to be revealed within days packing similar 0-100km/h pace.

And of course all of this is discounting the mythical 760kW Tesla Model X Plaid electric SUV that’s claimed to hit 100km/h in 2.6sec but – like any Durango – is yet to materialise Down Under where the Tesla Model S and X have both been in hiatus since late 2021.

Both the Dodge’s power and performance figures are actually slightly down compared to the MY21 version, and it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see the brand isn’t drawing attention to the fact, saying only that the monstrous engine has been optimised for the SUV application.

Still, there’s nothing portly about an 11.5sec standing quarter-mile and a top speed of 290km.

Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis said muscle car enthusiasts “also have families” and sometimes a big coupe or even a fast sedan just won’t cut it for them.

“The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat has generated a crazy amount of enthusiasm and demand since it was introduced in 2020 – we even extended its initial production run – so it seemed appropriate to bring back the most powerful SUV ever as part of our historic 2023 model-year Dodge line-up,” he said.

Predictably there are no plans to offer the flagship Durango or any other Dodge products Down Under any time soon, but Aussies did have access to something closely related to the Durango Hellcat in the form of the previous-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which shared a slightly detuned 522kW/868Nm version of the same mental V8 and was claimed to hit 100km/h in 3.7sec.

Dodge is going performance crazy at the moment, having just confirmed another seven Charger and Challenger special-edition variants for the 2023 model year as well as reviving the Durango SRT Hellcat covered here.

The flurry of V8 fury comes as the fabled HEMI petrol V8 nears its permanent end and gives way to battery-electric technology for the next generation of Dodge muscle cars and SUVs.

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