Performance Dodge

2011 Dodge Charger

The all-new redesigned Charger is expected to ship late December. Inspired by the original Dodge Chargers of the 1960s, the redesigned 2011 Dodge Charger builds on the 2006-2010 model and gains a number of new style and power train features.

Pricing will be as follows:

Charger SE: $25,170
Charger SE (with Rallye Package): $27,420
Charger SE (with Rallye Plus package): $29,170
Charger R/T: $30,170 / $32,320
Charger R/T (with R/T Plus Package): $32,170 / $34,320
Charger R/T (with Road and Track Package): $33,170 / $35,320
Charger R/T (with Max Package): $35,170 / $37,320
(All prices exclude an $825 destination charge.)

The 2011 Charger is immediately recognizable but boasts many enhancements inside, outside and underneath its more aggressive skin.

From the front, the cross hair grille returns, although the headlamps are more canted than before and the fascia tilts at a slightly more aggressive angle. The Charger's side profile is sleeker and more coupe-esque than the outgoing model and revised wheel designs look more upscale than before. Perhaps the biggest changes have been applied to the Charger's tail, where a full-width tail lamp arrangement visually links the Charger with both past Dodge models and the company's Dodge Challenger sibling.

Dodge calls the tail lamps a 'racetrack' graphic when their 164 LEDs are illuminated. Below the tail lamps, new squared-off tailpipes exit a more finished-looking faux diffuser.

Dodge hasn't released interior images, but the automaker promises upgraded materials, Garmin navigation with Sirius Travel Link and the meaty corporate-wide three-spoke steering wheel that has arrived on nearly every new Chrysler product for 2011.

Several upscale options have been added to the Charger for 2011, including adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross path protection and a rear backup camera with grid lines.

Underneath it all
Although the Charger still rides on a Mercedes-Benz-derived platform, Dodge says that the architecture has been re-engineered so much that it now considers it its 'second generation' E-segment platform.

Both rear and all-wheel-drive will return, but base models eschew the outgoing 2.7 and 3.5-liter V6s for the 'Pentastar' 3.6-liter unit seen in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Dodge hasn?t released specifications, but we expect power output similar to the Jeep?s 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. Look for a five-speed automatic transmission.

The automaker's 5.7-liter HEMI V8 will return, again with cylinder deactivation technology to save fuel.

Dodge is emphasizing its Charger R/T AWD, which comes with 19-inch wheels, the 5.7-liter V8 and a segment-exclusive active transfer case with front axle disconnect. Dodge says the front axle disconnect helps save 5 percent on fuel economy by utilizing only rear-wheel-drive unless additional traction is needed.

A Charger SRT8 powered by a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 will debut soon.

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2011 Dodge Durango

The all-new redesigned 2011 Durango reveals a much more upscale interior than its predecessor and one not unlike the related Jeep Grand Cherokee.

After a short leave of absence, Dodge revived its once-popular Durango nameplate for a new three-row range-topping SUV based on the same Mercedes-Benz-derived platform as the 2011 Grand Cherokee.

The 2011 Dodge Durango, the first step in Dodge's product onslaught for 2011, is an all-new vehicle almost entirely unrelated to the last-generation Durango discontinued in 2009.

Like the Jeep, two engines will be on offer, including Chrysler's new 'Pentastar' V6 and the well-known 5.7-liter Hemi V8. Both engines feature variable valve timing and are mated to five-speed automatic transmissions. Both rear and all-wheel-drive will be available.

Dodge says that Hemi-outfitted Durangos will be capable of towing 7,400 lbs., while V6 models will be rated at a still reasonable 6,200 lbs.

Outside, the Durango shares its Ram-inspired front fascia with the automaker's pickups and, to a a certain extent, the previous Durango. Its tail, clearly inspired by the Jeep Grand Cherokee, is totally different than the outgoing model?s.

Inside, the Durango's look is derivative of other recent Chrysler products, namely the '11 Grand Cherokee. It gets some of Chrysler's latest switchgear and it benefits from all of the automaker's top safety features, including blind spot monitoring, rear cross path detection, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control and active head restraints.

Durango uses a fully independent suspension and unibody construction derived from the Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV. More than just a stretched Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Durango is designed primarily for on-road use. Both engines are expected to come standard with rear-wheel-drive, although all-wheel-drive will be available.

The Durango will square off against other unibody SUVs and large crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.

Look for the Detroit-built Durango to go on sale late December early January. We?ll be sure to update this space with pricing and fuel economy specifications when they become available.

Price Range:

$28,130 - $45,040