LeftLaneNews
Dodge builds one-off, Hellcat-powered Durango for One Lap of America

Dodge builds one-off, Hellcat-powered Durango for One Lap of America

The Hellcat engine could find its way into the production Durango.

Dodge is participating in the One Lap of America challenge with a Durango. It sounds like a Challenger would be a much more suitable car, but the company isn't racing a run-of-the-mill SUV. It stuffed a Hellcat engine between the Durango's fenders to create a one-of-a-kind family-hauler that's as much show as it is go.

Called Speed Trap, the Durango is powered by a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 engine borrowed from the Challenger Redeye. The eight sends 797 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of torque to the four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Dodge also added an array of Mopar parts, including a free-flow, stainless-steel exhaust line, and it lowered the suspension. Pirelli P Zero tires transfer the cavalry to the pavement, and the team isn't allowed to change them, while bigger brakes provided by Brembo keep the power in check.

Dodge took first place in the truck/SUV category during the 2018 edition of the event. It wants to win again in 2019. To clinch first, it will need to fend off competition from a Durango SRT entered by a private Canadian team, and a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk raced by a team based in New York.

The annual One Lap of America started on May 4th in South Bend, Indiana. It will end there on May 11th. The event is taking 80 two-person teams to eight race tracks in seven states, where timed events like time trials and drag races are organized. Racers must drive from event to event while obeying traffic rules, and they cannot rely on a support crew.

What's next?

As of writing, the Hellcat-powered Durango is a one-of-a-kind model. If you want one, you'll need to ask (and pay) an aftermarket tuner to build you one. However, rumors claim Dodge will release a high-performance, range-topping variant of its three-row SUV with the same 707-horsepower Hellcat engine and all-wheel drive technology found in the aforementioned Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The model is expected to make its debut in the not-too-distant future.