The new Dodge Durano R/T makes its Windy City debut.
Dodge is bringing back the R/T designation. Well, sort of. After all, it’s not like the R/T trim ever really went away. The 2010 Dodge Charger, for example, was available in R/T guise.
But Dodge president and CEO Ralph Gilles admitted that the R/T name—which stands for road and track—was “abused” in the past by being slapped onto too many cars not deserving of the moniker.
Cognizant of that fact, Dodge has tried to make sure that the five new R/T models it showed at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show live up to the name.
For starters, there is the 2011 Dodge Challenger R/T which, like last year’s model, holds the middle spot in that model’s lineup. Its 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 carries over from last year, but the car receives styling tweaks to go along with minor upgrades to the suspension and interior.
The "Man Van"? The new Dodge Caravan R/T.
The Dodge Charger R/T, which was introduced last fall and took a backseat to the 2011 Charger SRT8 that debuted in the Windy City, has a 370 horsepower version of the 5.7-liter Hemi, available all-wheel drive (rear-wheel drive is standard), and a 5-speed automatic transmission. One unique touch from the all-wheel drive system is that the front axle disconnects when not needed in order to maximize fuel economy. (Click Here for a closer look at the 465-hp Charger SRT8.)
The Charger R/T starts at $30,170 before the $825 destination fee, and various appearance and performance packages can easily drive that price upwards.
The Dodge Journey crossover also gets the R/T treatment for 2011, It has a 283-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, a sportier suspension, a 6-speed automatic transmission, 19-inch wheels, and racier styling. Pricing is $28,995 for the front-wheel drive version and $30,695 for the all-wheel drive, not including destination.
A 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T is being positioned as a “man van” for dads who don’t want to give up performance totally. It has the same engine and transmission as the Journey R/T. That goes along with an all-black interior, a body-color grille and side moldings, a stiffer suspension, and special wheels. Starting price? $30,595.
The SRT badge is still reserved for the ultimate Dodge performance models - such as the new Charger SRT8.
Finally, a Durango R/T adds a stiffer suspension, different wheels and tires, and R/T-only styling and trim. The 5.7-liter, 360-horsepower engine can still tow 7,400 lbs. rear- and all-wheel drive are available, and the transmission is a 5-speed automatic. Fuel economy isn’t pretty—14 mpg city/20 mpg highway for rear-wheel drive and 13/20 for all-wheel. The base price is $35,465 before destination.
It’s hard to picture the R/T moniker on a minivan, crossover, or SUV, but if Dodge can make these models a fair bit sportier, maybe it won’t feel so abused. Nor so all alone. After all, Mercedes-Benz has allowed the AMG badge to be bolted onto the M-Class, and BMW has done the M treatment on the X6, so perhaps performance isn’t limited to sedans, coupes and sports cars anymore, after all.