2011 Dodge Durango Heat debuts in Chicago Auto Show

Dodge introduced a new performance package for the 2011 Dodge Durango SUV at the Chicago Auto Show, the Dodge Durango Heat. Designed to complement the performance-tuned Durango R/T, the new Heat package delivers aggressive styling, the 3.6L Pentastar V-6 engine with 295 horsepower and a affordable price.

From the outside, the Durango Heat and the R/T have a striking resemblance. Both feature a unique fascia with fog lamps, a color-matched grille and dark headlamp bezels. The color-matched body kit, wheel lips and rear fascia with integrated dual chrome exhaust outlets, give the Heat a lower stance.

Built on the Durango’s new unibody platform, which is 25 percent stiffer than the Durango it replaces, the five-passenger Heat also shares R/T’s performance-biased engineering, including its aggressive suspension tuning, performance steering, unique 20-inch wheels with all-season performance tires (three-season high-performance tires for even greater grip and response also are available), a 20-mm lower ride height, tuned dual-exhaust and a modernized interior that holds drivers in their seats.

Where the R/T is powered by the legendary 5.7L HEMI V-8 engine, the Heat is powered by the new Pentastar V-6 engine. The 3.6L V-6 engine is an all-new design, featuring double-overhead camshafts (DOHC) and a high-pressure die-cast aluminum cylinder block in a 60 degree configuration. Contributing to best-in-class V-6 towing at 6,200 lbs. and a top speed of 130 miles per hour, the engine delivers 295 bhp at 6,350 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. The EPA fuel economy miles per gallon (mpg) (City/Hwy) are 16/23 for the rear-wheel-drive model and 16/22 for the all-wheel-drive model.

While Heat entices with performance-biased styling and handling, the newest Durango also maintains SUV capability with room for five passengers and 50 cubic feet of storage space-more storage capacity behind the second row than any other five-passenger vehicle on the market- including 5.9 cubic feet of under-floor storage. As in the R/T, Heat comes standard with Uconnect Voice Command and a premium 506 Watt Alpine audio system with 10 speakers, including a subwoofer.

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