2011 Dodge Durango Images Released, Non-Traditional Rollout in Works

Just the Facts:

• Exterior images of the 2011 Dodge Durango were released today.
• A 2011 Durango caravan is leaving Detroit today, headed for Virginia Beach, Virginia for the Labor Day weekend.
• The SUV will be the pace car during a Sunday morning race in Virginia Beach as part of the first of four Dodge-sponsored Rock 'n' Roll marathons.

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Chrysler has a non-traditional unveiling planned for the redesigned 2011 Dodge Durango, starting today, that may surprise some people at rest stops along the Ohio Turnpike. But the big question is whether huge Hurricane Earl and its aftermath, which is targeting much of the East Coast this Labor Day weekend, will rain on Durango's parade.

A 2011 Durango caravan is leaving here today and headed for Virginia Beach, Virginia, where the SUV will be the pace car during a Sunday morning race in Virginia Beach as part of the first of four Dodge-sponsored Rock 'n' Roll marathons.

A hurricane watch was posted on Thursday by the National Weather Service for Virginia Beach and much of the East Coast. Hurricane Earl is a Category 4 (out of 5) hurricane, packing winds of 140 mph. Chrysler said the Durango caravan will pass through Toledo, Cleveland and Youngstown on the Ohio Turnpike, then go through Pittsburgh, make a stop at a dealership in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Friday and end up in Virginia Beach later that day.

When asked about the hurricane's possible impact on the Durango rollout, Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa told Inside Line, "You'll have to ask Mother Nature."

Exterior images of the SUV were released today, but Cappa said the automaker will not discuss any auto-show plans for the 2011 Durango. He also said interior shots of the SUV, save for one of the steering wheel, are not yet available.

The Detroit-built Durango, which shares its Mercedes ML-based platform with the redesigned 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, is designed to take the SUV market by storm. It will feature two engine options: a standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8.

EPA numbers have not yet been released on the 2011 Durango. Cappa would not provide other technical specifications on Durango. However, the 3.6-liter V6 in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers 290 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The two-wheel-drive model returns an estimated 16 miles per gallon in city driving and 23 miles on the highway. The 5.7-liter V8 in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The two-wheel-drive model returns an estimated 14 mpg in city driving and 20 mpg on the highway.

All-wheel drive is optional on the 2011 Durango. Standard features include side airbags and side curtain airbags, stability control and new standard active head restraints. Options include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry.

The 2011 Durango goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2010. Pricing has not been announced.

Inside Line says: Keep a weather eye out for the new Durango if you're traveling through Ohio, Pennsylvania or Virginia in the next couple of days. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent