Auburn
Hills, Jan 05, 2003 - Bigger, bolder and faster,
the 2003 Dodge Durango HEMI® RT Concept separates itself
from the sport utility pack with big power and a broad shouldered
presence that could only come from Dodge. With more style,
more cargo room and more capability, the Dodge Durango Concept
delivers on all fronts, including the type of muscle that
only a Dodge can deliver: HEMI power.
"The
Dodge Durango Concept is a new generation of sport-utility
vehicle that could only wear the Dodge name,"
said Richard Schaum, Executive Vice President, Product Development.
"With its bold cross-hair grille, innovative interior
and a big HEMI rumbling under its hood, the Durango Concept
exemplifies the in-your-face styling and sheer capability
that is Dodge."
The Dodge Durango Concept design provides
a strong hint of the next generation Durango that will appear
in late 2003 as a 2004 model. The Durango Concept is approximately
85-percent of the production level exterior design.
The Dodge Durango Concept features a bold
and powerful presence that is three inches longer, more
than three inches taller and four and a half inches wider
than the current generation Durango. The enlarged exterior
results in a roomier all-new interior that provides increased
head, shoulder and hip room and available seating for seven.
Interior capacity is increased by 15 percent and is enhanced
by Durango's fold-flat cargo floor. As shown in the concept,
Durango now has the capability to carry 48-inch wide sheets
of plywood between the wheel wells.
With
345 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque, the 5.7-liter
HEMI Magnum-powered Dodge Durango Concept delivers blistering
acceleration while improving fuel efficiency by more than
10 percent, when compared to the current generation Durango.
A new heavy-duty five-speed automatic transmission is behind
the 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum. The full-time four-wheel drive
Dodge Durango Concept also features a standard electronic
transfer case with low range.
"All
that HEMI power needs a suspension to match and we set out
to create one of the best handling SUVs ever made,"
said Frank Klegon, Vice President of the Dodge Truck Product
Team. "We developed an all-new 100-percent hydroformed
frame that provides increased torsional stiffness and improved
ride quality, but not at the expense of the towing, hauling
and off-road capability that Durango is known for."
The
Durango Concept features an all-new independent front suspension
with a rack-and-pinion steering system for an even more
precise feel. An all-new rear suspension with coil springs
and a solid rear axle delivers a smooth ride, yet maintains
durability, payload and towing capability. A Watt link system
is fitted to the rear axle, centering the axle and reducing
rear-end skate over rough surfaces.
Safety
features include available side curtain air bags for all
three rows of seating, a tire-pressure monitoring system,
adjustable pedals and standard four-wheel disc ABS brakes.
A center mounted, three-point shoulder belt is incorporated
into the second row seating area. Driver enhancements include
a navigational system, and a hands-free cellular phone system
utilizing Bluetooth technology.
"With
this Durango Concept, we have taken many of the lessons
learned on the design of our new Dodge Ram pickups in the
areas of hydroforming and suspension tuning and applied
them to the Durango," Klegon said. "What we have
delivered is an exceptional handling SUV that breaks away
from the ever-crowded look-alike pack in a way that only
Dodge could."
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