10 CARS THAT CAN’T CATCH NEW DODGE DURANGO
Packing 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT is one fast SUV. The American automaker says the new Dodge Durango SRT is the fastest and most capable three-row SUV with a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) certified quarter-mile time of 12.9 seconds. The SUV is also capable of going zero-to-60 mph in 4.4 seconds (an official 0-100 km/h time is not yet avail- able for the Dodge Durango SRT, so for the sake of consistency, all times will be listed as 0-60 mph, which is the equivalent of 0-96 km/h), making it just as quick as sports cars like the Alfa Romeo 4C. So which cars does the Dodge Durango SRT sprint to 100 km/h faster than? Or better yet, which cars would be embarrassed at the drag strip when this family hauler crosses the quarter mile first?
10. Porsche 718 Boxster
We’re well aware the Porsche 718 Boxster only has 300 hp, so it’s a bit unfair to compare it to the Dodge Durango SRT packing 475 hp. But let’s keep in mind the Boxster comes from an automaker known for its sports cars, so it’s still a little embarrassing that it is half a second slower, accelerating to 60 mph from a standstill at 4.9 seconds. Imagine a threerow SUV beating a Porsche off the line in a drag race!
9. Subaru WRX STI
Typically, when you hear a car is turbocharged and has all-wheel drive, you’re thinking it’s a serious performance machine. And in a way, the Subaru WRX STI is, with a huge following, especially in the aftermarket. But even the 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque isn’t enough to best the Durango SRT. The WRX STI does the sprint in 4.6 seconds with an estimated quarter-mile time of 13.1 seconds.
8. Volkswagen Golf R
The Volkswagen Golf R is known to be a fun-to-drive hot hatch, but could you believe it’s slower than the Durango SRT? Models equipped with the DSG double-clutch transmission are estimated to hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. No matter how you spin it, the Golf R isn’t quicker than the big Durango.
7. Volvo S60/ V60 Polestar
The Polestar model variants are Volvo’s answer to performance luxury, and yet the Volvo S60’s zeroto-60 time comes in at 4.4 seconds, just like the Durango SRT. Keep in mind the Volvo S60 has a turbocharged and supercharged engine, boasting 362 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque and it doesn’t sport three rows of seats. Although we bet the Durango SRT would look quite nice finished in the Polestar’s blue paint.
6. Toyota Supra Turbo
There was once a time the Toyota Supra Turbo offered the best performance straight from the factory for a car costing under $100,000. Decades later, the venerable 2JZ turbocharged engine that lurked under the hood is loved by tuners worldwide, and we can’t wait to see the Supra’s successor. The fastest documented time for the Supra Turbo going to 60 mph from a standstill is 4.6 seconds, while the quickest quarter-mile time is 13.1 seconds. Back in the early-to-mid ’90s, those were spectacular numbers, but now even a three-row SUV is faster.
5. Acura NSX
No, we’re not talking about the new Acura NSX — we already know that model does zero-to-60 in about 3.0 seconds. But the last-generation NSX isn’t as impressive with documented zero-to-60 times in the 4.7-second range. Its quarter-mile isn’t too shabby at 13.2 seconds, but it’s still slower than the Durango SRT . . . and it costs a whole lot more.
4. Audi TTS Coupe
It’s all right if you want to rub your eyes a bit on this one. We’re not talking about the standard Audi TT Coupe, but the high-performance TTS variant sporting 292 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The German automaker says the 2017 Audi TTS Coupe does the zero-to-60 sprint in 4.6 seconds, a few ticks behind the Durango SRT.
3. BMW 1 Series M Coupe
Who doesn’t love a lightweight, compact BMW M model? The 1 Series M Coupe is loved by many sports car enthusiasts, but it has an estimated zero-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds. That’s a bit surprising considering it features a 3.0-litre twinturbo inline-six engine with 335 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque while tipping the scales at 1,525 kg. That’s almost 1,000 kilos less than the Dodge Durango SRT that tips the scale at roughly 2,500 kg.
2. Chevrolet SS
When it comes to specifications, the Chevrolet SS is nearly comparable to the Durango SRT, with the sedan sporting a 6.2-lite V8 engine churning 415 hp. Some call it a four-door Corvette, and they’re not really wrong, so it’s more surprising that its zero-to-60 is around 4.5 seconds according to independent testing — and that’s the fastest of the reported times.
1. Ford Mustang GT
Powered by a 5.0-litre V8 engine with 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, the Ford Mustang GT is expected to be fast. It looks fast, it has a storied history of being fast and by all accounts it is fast. But it isn’t quicker than the Durango SRT when it comes to sprinting to 60 mph from a standstill. Most tests have the factory GT doing zero-to-60 in 4.6 seconds, although it will get in a heated battle down the quarter mile with some documenting times of 12.9 seconds, the same as the Durango SRT.