With the news of Dodge debuting the Challenger SRT Demon 170 less than a week ago, talk among enthusiasts is the availability of a factory vehicle advertised as an 8-second / 150-plus mph capable ride with the right driver and track conditions.
This latest supercharged Dodge can trace its roots back to the standard Hellcat, first available from Dodge in 2015 in the Challenger and Charger models, packing over 700 horsepower.
Enthusiasts have been pushing the factory power numbers up and the track times down over the last eight years, and although the Challenger and Charger get the lion’s share of the headlines, now a Durango is joining the record-setting ranks.
The Durango was available from Dodge with the Hellcat driveline only in the 2021 model year originally, and around 3,000 of them were built with the 710 horsepower driveline, advertised as the quickest SUV in the world.
This article is brought to you ad-free by Sick The Magazine’s print subscribers. Do your part to support quality automotive journalism and the future of print media by subscribing to our awesome 200-page print book today!
One of those Durganos belongs to Tina Boggess, who ordered the performance model new. “I am a mom of 4, so I have had several Durango models in the past,” said Tina. “I still have a 392 SRT Durango that I drive daily as well, so of course I had to have the Hellcat version.”
Scott Boegler, owner of American Muscle Performance, made some mild changes to Tina’s Durango, including a set of different pullies to increase boost, a 108-millimeter throttle body and JLT cold air intake, plus a set of Fuel Injector Clinic 1200 fuel injectors and a JMS Boost-A-Pump to feed the VP Racing X98 racing fuel to the thirsty Gen-III HEMI.
These changes helped get the Durango into the 9-second range, the first one to do so, back in August 2021.
Since that time, Tina and Scott have continued to work on the performance of the Durango, getting the 5,600-pound SUV to a best of 9.07 at 156 mph during the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Dodge / Mopar HEMI Shootout at Orlando Speed World Dragway in mid-March, picking up the runner-up spot in the class. One week later at Kentucky Dragway, Tina became the first Hellcat Durango into the 8-second zone with an 8.87 at 157 mph pass.
To accomplish this task, Scott and Tina had a stock displacement engine built by Demon Performance and TKM with stronger connecting rods and pistons, along with a camshaft swap.
Ported cylinder heads and a ported 2.7-liter blower complete the induction, and built overdrive transmission and transfer case, plus G-Force axles and Mickey Thompson tires get the power to the ground.
“My fastest boost only pass has been 9.52,” said Tina, who admitted adding nitrous to the mix was the final step in getting the Durango its 8-second time slip.
“It has been a LOT of fun,” Tina continued. “It is a mom car with my 14 year old twins as my pit crew, and I still drive it on the street, take them to school, grocery store, etc.” She hopes to eventually tackle a drag-and-drive event as well, with both Sick Week and Hot Rod Drag Week on her radar.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Tina Boggess.
Unless Dodge suddenly starts making the Challenger and Charger again, the 'Last Call' Hellcat Durangos will be the end of the 700 hp V8. Just when you thought the Last Call series was over, Dodge has announced another season of special edition trim levels, this time for the 2024 Durango.
Mercilessly fast and built with racetrack performance in mind, the 2024 Durango SRT® Hellcat does right by its muscle car ancestry. With a top speed of 180 mph, a towing capacity of 8,700 pounds 1 and 710 horses under the hood, this monster remains the quickest standard 3-row SUV ever made 2.
Verdict. Both the Trackhawk and the Durango Hellcat offer identical horsepower and similar acceleration times, making them equally matched in terms of raw performance. The choice here would come down to other factors beyond just speed.
Durango will likely offer only turbocharged V6 engines for 2025, likely paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions. If so, that could mark the end of the line for the SRT 392 and Hellcat. Keep reading for what you can likely expect for significant standard and optional features by trim level.
Despite the $82,490 price tag, the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat sold out in just two months from the order books opening. It was then that the automaker announced that they would increase production by another 1,000 units, bringing the total number of Hellcat's produced to 3,000 units.
Now, Dodge has decided to end the Hellcat's journey. They're doing this to bring in new kinds of cars that are better for the future. Dodge is thinking about our planet and how to make cars that are safer for the environment. So, they're working on new ideas, like electric cars, that are cool and good for the Earth.
Dodge Charger SRT ® Hellcat Runs a 7.62 Quarter-Mile, Claiming the World Record. At the 2022 Legion of Demons event at Houston Raceway Park, Zdung Ho and his Dodge Charger SRT® Hellcat ran a 7.72, resetting his own record for the world's quickest SRT Hellcat Charger in the quarter-mile.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
