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Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat: The Durango continues its ability to out-haul every full-size, three-row SUV on the road with the SRT Hellcat, SRT 392 and R/T Tow N Go delivering best-in-class towing capability of 8,700 pounds
Trucks & SUVs

The Dodge Durango Hellcat Was Already Silly and Hennessey Just Made It Worse

I have spent a lot of time over the last little while wondering how Dodge intended people to use such a powerful people carrier. I have driven many SUVs, and never once have I found myself in need or want of the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat’s 710 hp. I’m not saying it isn’t cool. I’m …
by Peter Corn
Published on
2 min read

I have spent a lot of time over the last little while wondering how Dodge intended people to use such a powerful people carrier. I have driven many SUVs, and never once have I found myself in need or want of the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat’s 710 hp. I’m not saying it isn’t cool. I’m not saying I don’t want to drive one. I just often find myself wondering what you are supposed to do with it? 

Well, Hennessey hasn’t helped to answer that question at all. In fact, they now offer an option to make it top the 1,000 hp mark, making the questions multiply. 

Thanks a lot, Hennessey

The Dodge Durango Hellcat was already the most powerful production SUV in the world. For some reason, they are people who feel like their 710 hp SUV should have more power. They must have been towing their camper at 145 mph, and it just didn’t have quite enough snap left? Or maybe, they took their kids to school and realized if they only had 300 more hp, they could hit 160 mph on that straight bit of road behind the school? Or maybe it’s as simple as they just had too many tires sitting around?

These are the things I think about. What could not be done in a 710 hp SUV that having 1,000 hp could do? I really don’t know, but luckily Hennessey came to fix the, uh, problem? 

Motor1 reports, Hennessey Performance, the Texas-based, mad-scientist tunning shop, is now offering the HPE 1,000 supercharger upgrade kit for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised, seeing as the extensive upgrades that Hennessey offers for the Charger and Challenger, as well as the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.

The Hennessey Dodge Durango Hellcat’s exact specs

With this supercharger upgrade kit, the Durango Hellcat will make 1,012 hp and 969 lb-ft of torque. While the stick Durango Hellcat could only do a 0-60 run in a stupid 3.5 seconds. This power will come in handy when taking Jr to football practice. But if you are running way behind (the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with the same Hennessey upgrade runs 0-60 in unreal 2.5), the supercharger upgrade will make you teleport there, I guess. I don’t know. I still don’t know what you’re supposed to do with 1,012 hp in an SUV or any vehicle for that matter.

Remember our trailer hauling problem? 

Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat: The Durango continues its ability to out-haul every full-size, three-row SUV on the road with the SRT Hellcat, SRT 392 and R/T Tow N Go delivering best-in-class towing capability of 8,700 pounds
Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat | FCA

The factory Dodge Durango Hellcat can tow 8,700 pounds. The towing numbers haven’t been released yet, but I guess now the Hellcat truck can haul the soccer field to the house, if need be? 

If the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat was already silly, then Hennessey gave it a big red nose

Look, I’m not such a stick in the mud as to say that the Durango SRT Hellcat wouldn’t be a hoot to drive for a weekend. I just don’t know who it’s for. I can understand a supercar with a bazillion horsepower, cause at least taking it to the track is possible and makes sense.

Yes, I know, you can take the Durango Hellcat to the track too, I guess, but why would you? After all this silliness, to then add another 300 hp, it genuinely feels like satire. I wish anyone with one of these rolling punchlines, well. I hope you have a blast and some extra tires. 

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You Can’t Buy A Dodge Durango Hellcat After 2021: Here’s Why

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Staff Writer

Peter Corn

Peter Corn joined MotorBiscuit as an Autos Writer in 2020 and brings his quippiest Southern drawl to our table. Having, in his words, “helped” rebuild his dad’s 1959 MGA as a small child, Peter grew up loving vintage cars and trucks, adding motorcycles and all things 4×4 as he went.

Peter earned a Bachelor of Archeology and Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and has since melded his love of driving with storytelling. His voice, full of pleasantries and witticisms, can be enjoyed in The Gentleman Racer, The Vintagent, Gear Patrol, Iron & Air Magazine, and Classic Car Club Magazine.

Peter is a co-founder of both The Colloquial Magazine and The Fire Escape, the official podcast of The Colloquial. In an effort to increase his abilities in “ramping anything with wheels,” Peter has taken track training from Classic Car Club Manhattan and attended Rally School at Monticello Motor Club, where he was coached by eight-time Performance Rally motorsport champion Chris Duplessis.

On a lucky day, we get to hear Peter tell the story of his first car, a jewel of a 1958 Ford Fairlane, into which he dumped more time and money than made sense, but he has no regrets.