2011 Dodge Durango R/T

  • Thread starter Thread starter psntomaz
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I don't disagree with that, but giving an SUV a bigger engine and a tuned suspension setup with bigger brakes, all with a much bigger price tag isn't really what the market is after. Make the thing look sporty for sure though.
 
The Vanishing Boy
-> For those who are wondering about the '11 Durango interior pics, here it is:

citadel630opt.jpg


;)
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Wow, a decent Dodge interior. Now we can look at those exterior shots again.
 
Keef
Right, R/T is Dodge's performance designation. I personally think its almost laughable that they'd bother putting it on this presumably body-on-frame truck. What's next, a Tahoe SS? A Shelby Expedition GT500? There's a reason Dodge's competition quit on the "sports" SUVs idea, as Joey already outlined.
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Errr....:lol:
05_ShelbyExpedition_Pic2.jpg
 
Joey D
It appears it will be more then just a tow rig, Dodge designed this to be sporty and its a market that no longer exists.
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That's all speculation on the part of the website. This could be a sticker and tire package for the regular Durango. And it might not even be that much. It could even simply be the name of the trim level that gets the V8 engine, like it is on the Charger.

Keef
But the Durango's competition, stuff like the Explorer, Expedition, Traverse, Arcadia, Pilot, RAV4, stuff like that, don't have performance versions because nobody wants performance versions. Maybe they're exploring a niche of HEMI-powered hardass soccer dads or something.
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You lost me when you started comparing the Dodge Durango to the Toyota Rav4, which up until a few years ago was based on the Corolla platform. Seriously.

We don't know what this will have in it for tuning, and based on specs we know it looks like it will be targeted at the Toyota Sequioa 5.7, Nissan Armada and Chevrolet Tahoe. Perhaps a dying market segment, sure, but not one that is actually dead.
And based on how Dodge has thrown around the R/T designation in the past decade, this may literally just be the name of the Durango that is available with the biggest engine, which is exactly what it was way back in 2000.
 
It looks nice and aggressive, why did they put the R/T designation ? It's kinda like BMW putting the M badge on X5 & X6.

And speaking of a chevy Tahoe SS, GM actually made one. I don't know if it was just a concept though.
tahoe_ss.jpg
 
Toronado
That's all speculation on the part of the website. This could be a sticker and tire package for the regular Durango. And it might not even be that much. It could even simply be the name of the trim level that gets the V8 engine, like it is on the Charger.


You lost me when you started comparing the Dodge Durango to the Toyota Rav4, which up until a few years ago was based on the Corolla platform. Seriously.

We don't know what this will have in it for tuning, and based on specs we know it looks like it will be targeted at the Toyota Sequioa 5.7, Nissan Armada and Chevrolet Tahoe. Perhaps a dying market segment, sure, but not one that is actually dead..
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*Highlander. Sorry, I can't be bothered keeping my boring Toyotas straight.

Why on earth are they sending a unibody crossover like this to compete with actual trucks? Don't forget the Expedition, btw. All body-on-frame trucks that actually have balls for towing and hauling and whatnot.
 
Keef
*Highlander. Sorry, I can't be bothered keeping my boring Toyotas straight.

Why on earth are they sending a unibody crossover like this to compete with actual trucks? Don't forget the Expedition, btw. All body-on-frame trucks that actually have balls for towing and hauling and whatnot.
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The explorer (also its competition) is also unibody.
 
Joey D
I don't disagree with that, but giving an SUV a bigger engine and a tuned suspension setup with bigger brakes, all with a much bigger price tag isn't really what the market is after. Make the thing look sporty for sure though.
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Are you forgetting about towing capability?
 
Forgive me if I don't quite understand what you're saying but things like a bigger engine, brakes, and suspension aren't necessarily included for the sporty aspect of trucks and subs since they can also benefit the utilitarian side of things.
 
Cale
Forgive me if I don't quite understand what you're saying but things like a bigger engine, brakes, and suspension aren't necessarily included for the sporty aspect of trucks and subs since they can also benefit the utilitarian side of things.
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If the Durango R/T was a vehicle made for towing it would have an HD designation for "heavy duty", instead of R/T for "road and track". The R/T alone tells me there is some performance base tonic somewhere in its DNA.
 
R/T doesn't mean the same thing today as it did even 10 years ago. It's simply a trim level akin to the "limited" trim level that Chrysler uses. It simply offers more content for people who want/can afford it.
 
R/T is the same thing as saying sport. Yes it's a trim level, but it's a trim level based on performance of some sort. It's below the SRT designation but above the E whatever Dodge uses now.
 
I'm not denying it makes the car sportier. Yes it'll be more sporty than lesser trim levels, but it's not strictly a performance trim anymore.
 
Cale
I'm not denying it makes the car sportier. Yes it'll be more sporty than lesser trim levels, but it's not strictly a performance trim anymore.
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It still doesn't make the Durango R/T any less of a performance SUV in a marlet that doesn't desire one.
 
Again I may be slightly miss understanding you but I think you are giving too much credit to the R/T upgrades. Sure it has a powerful V8, different suspension, possibly brakes, and a sporty appearance but it also has more standard features and luxury items. There is definitely a market for the R/T trim.
 
Right. My point is that the Durango R/T is going to be the performance version of the basic, standard Durango. It's being built for a market other manufactures alreay left, there is no need for it. Have a upgraded model for sure but tying to make is sporty is just lost efforts.
 
Again you are giving too much credit to the sportiness of the R/T trim. There are people that want a more sporty ride/handling mated to a powerful engine (arguably many of those will be going after the sportier looks), and most are willing to pay for it. It's hardly lost efforts considering the R/T will not be the volume seller of the Durango line and it'll probably have the highest profit margin of all the trims.
 
Cale
Again you are giving too much credit to the sportiness of the R/T trim. There are people that want a more sporty ride/handling mated to a powerful engine, and most are willing to pay for it. It's hardly lost efforts considering the R/T will not be the volume seller of the Durango line and it'll probably have the highest profit margin of all the trims.
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It's still being built as a performance SUV. The craze for those died out a few years back and that's why you only saw things like the Jeep SRT hanging on for a little bit. It's a waste of engineering on Dodge's part since they are developing and maketing an SUV that no longer has a market. Even if it's not that sporty, consumers still will view it as sporty.
 
I feel as if the only reason you're making this argument is because there's an R/T badge on the back.
 
Yes, because R/T = sporty in the consumer's eye.
 
Joey D
Right. My point is that the Durango R/T is going to be the performance version of the basic, standard Durango. It's being built for a market other manufactures alreay left, there is no need for it. Have a upgraded model for sure but tying to make is sporty is just lost efforts.
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Again, we don't know what constitutes "sporty" in this context, and there are several other manufacturers with similar vehicles on paper in their lineups.
 
LIL_KACHING
It looks nice and aggressive, why did they put the R/T designation ? It's kinda like BMW putting the M badge on X5 & X6.

And speaking of a chevy Tahoe SS, GM actually made one. I don't know if it was just a concept though.
tahoe_ss.jpg
Click to expand...

If Im not mistaken that in fact is just a tahoe that they just grafted the front bumper slapped a few stickers on it. Now by looking at it i cant tell if it has the same drivetrain. Also, that is the generation of the gm full-size before they released the silverado ss. Really if you had the money and the time you can make one and in fact make it better.
 

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