Once again it appears that Chrysler is taking an auto-show concept vehicle and turning it into a production model with little change. And when they do, they will likely have another big hit on their hands.

In this case, the concept vehicle is the Dodge Durango R/T, shown at the 2003 Detroit International Auto Show. Instead of the near-universal boxy SUV, the Durango R/T has just the right amount of retro looks, like the PT Cruiser, along with a boldness and macho design that is unique and appealing. Now these latest photos capture a prototype Durango undergoing hot-weather testing. Despite the front-end disguise, one can clearly see that this is the next-generation Durango, and sure enough, it looks just like the concept vehicle.

Naturally, any production model must have differences from a concept car, and one can spot a few on this prototype. For one thing, the radio antenna sprouts from the right-front fender of the prototype; the concept car had no antenna to mar its looks. The concept vehicle also has huge 21-inch wheels. Wheels for the prototype are not that big, but still look to be a hefty 18 inches or so. Best of all, the production model keeps the unique front fenders which thrust forward to house the headlights — a wonderful retro touch that sets this design apart from the other big SUVs.

The new Durango is bigger than the current Durango in all directions. This gives more interior room for passengers in three rows of seats. Fold down the third-row seat and hauling space is plentiful, with enough room for that important 4x8 sheet of plywood. And “hauling” will describe the truck’s performance too, when fitted with the big 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 good for 345 horsepower.

Look for this new, larger Dodge Durango in dealer showrooms in spring 2004.

 

looks like they used some styling cues from the powerwagon concept.

 

shape looks good, have to just wait and see

 

Looks kinda like the Mitsubishi Endeavor

 

it's lookin pretty similar to the concept:

 

i hope they take care of the HUGE exterior and interior misalignment issues they have on the current durango....any1 ever see the gap b/w the hood and the front bumper lol

 

i never saw the concept version...

 

look at the wheel gap!

 

well my pics aren't showing up, so here's the url:

http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/...ango-dodge.jpg
http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/...rango-rear.jpg

edit: if they still don't work when you click them, delete the http:// in the address bar and hit enter.

 

eh the concept isnt that hott. im not feelin all the plastic along the bottom of the bumper and the huge hood scoops. other than that is just alright, nothing too amazing.

 

These latest photos reveal the 2004 Dodge Durango almost completely undisguised. Some bits of tape over the taillights and emblems, plus a cover on the front bumper are the only disguise.

Once again it appears that Chrysler is taking an auto-show concept vehicle and turning it into a production model with little change. In this case, the concept vehicle is the Dodge Durango R/T, shown at the 2003 Detroit International Auto Show. Instead of the near-universal boxy SUV, the Durango R/T has just the right amount of retro looks, like the PT Cruiser, along with a boldness and macho design that is unique and appealing. Now these latest photos of a nearly undisguised Durango show that this next-generation Durango looks just like the concept vehicle.

Naturally any production model must have differences from a concept car, and one can spot a few on this prototype. For one thing, the radio antenna sprouting from the right-front fender of the prototype, while the concept car naturally had no antenna to mar its looks. The concept vehicle also has huge 21-inch wheels. Wheels for the prototype are not that big, but still look to be a hefty 18 inches or so. Best of all, the production model keeps the unique front fenders which thrust forward to house the headlights – a wonderful retro touch that sets this design apart from the other big SUV’s.

The new Durango is bigger than the current Durango in all directions. This gives more interior room for passengers in three rows of seats. Fold down the third-row seat and hauling space is plentiful, with enough room for that important 4x8 sheet of plywood. And “hauling” will describe the truck’s performance too, when fitted with the big 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 good for 345 horsepower.

 

it looks really cool, imo.

 

it is wayyyy too droopy looking, why would they do that? People who buy SUV'S like to have the badass, comanding look of a huge, upright front grill

 

 

I dont agree with the front lights.

 

the front isnt big enough. it looks awkward with the rest of the car. it should be as large as the Ram1500's

 

I've NEVER liked the Durango and i hate it even more now.

 

http://www.dodgeboy.net/news/durango...rangomule1.jpg

http://www.dodgeboy.net/news/durango...rangomule2.jpg

IMO--I HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

posted on dodgeboy.net

These pictures are of the concept version of the 2004 Durango. It looks very similar to prior versions that I have seen, but the head lights look slightly different and the fascias are different. Slight styling changes are expected before it goes into production.

Feature Highlights:
The 2004 Durango will be three inches higher, three inches longer and four inches wider, which helps to increase interior space by 15%. You will finally be able to put 4' wide sheets of plywood flat on the floor in the cargo area!

The new Durango will have a hydroformed frame for better stiffness, hoping to eliminate some of the squeaks and rattles. This frame will be coupled to an all-new front independent suspension and a solid rear axle with coil springs, replacing the current leaf spring design. The rear coil springs and Watt link suspension design should reduce/eliminate some of the rear wheel hop associated with washboarded roads.

Side curtain airbags will be available for all three rows of seats. A tire pressure monitoring system will be available and four wheel disc brakes with ABS will be made standard. The center seat in the second row will now also include a shoulder belt (with the shoulder section anchored in the top of the side seat).

On the inside, the driver will enjoy a new navigation system, auto three-zone climate control and a hands free cell phone that utilizes bluetooth technology.


Here are some specs and the official press release:

Specs:
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 119.2 inches
Overall Length: 197.2 inches
Overall Width: 76.5 inches
Overall Height: 71.8 inches
Front Track: 64.4 inches
Rear Track: 64.4 inches

Powertrain
Engine: 5.7-liter HEMI® Magnum V8
Horsepower: 345 @ 5,400 rpm
Torque: 375 lb.-ft. @ 4,200
Transmission: 5-45RFE, five-speed automatic
Drive Layout: Four-wheel drive

Suspension
Front: Multi-link, independent
Rear: Solid axle, coil springs
Wheels: 21-inch/satin chrome
Tires: 265/50 21 Goodyear HP
Exterior Color: Liquid Graphite Metallic
Interior: Dark Slate Gray with Adobe accents


Press Release:


Bigger, bolder and faster, the 2003 Dodge Durango HEMI® RT Concept separates itself from the sport utility pack with big power and a broad shouldered presence that could only come from Dodge. With more style, more cargo room and more capability, the Dodge Durango Concept delivers on all fronts, including the type of muscle that only a Dodge can deliver: HEMI power.
"The Dodge Durango Concept is a new generation of sport-utility vehicle that could only wear the Dodge name," said Richard Schaum, Executive Vice President, Product Development. "With its bold cross-hair grille, innovative interior and a big HEMI rumbling under its hood, the Durango Concept exemplifies the in-your-face styling and sheer capability that is Dodge."

The Dodge Durango Concept design provides a strong hint of the next generation Durango that will appear in late 2003 as a 2004 model. The Durango Concept is approximately 85-percent of the production level exterior design.

The Dodge Durango Concept features a bold and powerful presence that is three inches longer, more than three inches taller and four and a half inches wider than the current generation Durango. The enlarged exterior results in a roomier all-new interior that provides increased head, shoulder and hip room and available seating for seven. Interior capacity is increased by 15 percent and is enhanced by Durango's fold-flat cargo floor. As shown in the concept, Durango now has the capability to carry 48-inch wide sheets of plywood between the wheel wells.

With 345 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque, the 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum-powered Dodge Durango Concept delivers blistering acceleration while improving fuel efficiency by more than 10 percent, when compared to the current generation Durango. A new heavy-duty five-speed automatic transmission is behind the 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum. The full-time four-wheel drive Dodge Durango Concept also features a standard electronic transfer case with low range.

"All that HEMI power needs a suspension to match and we set out to create one of the best handling SUVs ever made," said Frank Klegon, Vice President of the Dodge Truck Product Team. "We developed an all-new 100-percent hydroformed frame that provides increased torsional stiffness and improved ride quality, but not at the expense of the towing, hauling and off-road capability that Durango is known for."

The Durango Concept features an all-new independent front suspension with a rack-and-pinion steering system for an even more precise feel. An all-new rear suspension with coil springs and a solid rear axle delivers a smooth ride, yet maintains durability, payload and towing capability. A Watt link system is fitted to the rear axle, centering the axle and reducing rear-end skate over rough surfaces.

Safety features include available side curtain air bags for all three rows of seating, a tire-pressure monitoring system, adjustable pedals and standard four-wheel disc ABS brakes. A center mounted, three-point shoulder belt is incorporated into the second row seating area. Driver enhancements include a navigational system, and a hands-free cellular phone system utilizing Bluetooth technology.

"With this Durango Concept, we have taken many of the lessons learned on the design of our new Dodge Ram pickups in the areas of hydroforming and suspension tuning and applied them to the Durango," Klegon said. "What we have delivered is an exceptional handling SUV that breaks away from the ever-crowded look-alike pack in a way that only Dodge could."

All data provided by DaimlerChrysler

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gross

 

 

I've already seen them on the raod...

too truck-like...

 

 

 

yea.... not too pretty

 

it's not too bad from the rear 3/4 shot, but that front is nasty.

 

looks like a retarded honda pilot upfront

 

I am leaving my current job to go work as a service advisor for chrysler/dodge/jeep. AND EVEN I THINK THAT IS UGLY!

 

I NEVER liked the Durango. These pictures make me hate it more.

 

DaimlerChrysler sets Durango price below competitors


By Jeff Green / Bloomberg News


DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler set the base price of the re-designed Dodge Durango sport-utility vehicle below that of U.S. competitors and less than the smaller model it replaces as the company tries to halt U.S. sales drops.

The 2004 Durango, which comes with a six-cylinder engine for the first time, will start at $26,565, less than the base price for Ford Motor Co.'s Explorer, General Motors Corp.'s TrailBlazer and Honda Motor Co.'s Pilot sport-utilities, according to Edmunds.com. The new Durango goes on sale next month. The most expensive Durango will sell for $41,710.

The new Durango is the first of 25 new products that Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche will introduce in the next three years to reverse five years of market-share losses. Chrysler, the third-largest U.S. automaker, lost $1.1 billion in the second quarter and cut its 2003 forecast to a "slight" profit from $2 billion. Sales fell 6 percent in 2003's first nine months.

Chrysler has dealer orders equal to the 30,000 Durangos that the company plans to produce this year, Joe Eberhardt, the unit's top sales and marketing executive, said in an interview.

The redesigned Durango, which Chrysler says has 15 percent more cargo room, a plusher interior and a more fuel-efficient engine, replaces a model that now needs as much as $4,500 in rebates to sell. Chrysler said it will offer a $500 mail-in rebate on the new Durango.

Chrysler is relying on Durango because other new vehicles haven't sold as well as expected. The Pacifica station wagon, introduced in March, is selling at an annual rate of 87,550, less than the 100,000 production capacity. Chrysler has cut the average price about 13 percent to $33,000 and spokesman James Kenyon said today that the company is offering $3,000 rebates and five-year no-interest loans on Pacifica.

The current Durango slipped to about 13 percent of the large sport-utility vehicle market this year from about 24 percent in 1999, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank.

The 2003 Durango ranges in price from $27,520 to $39,570 compared with a range of $26,930 to $37,795 for the Explorer, $27,545 to $36,195 for the TrailBlazer and $27,590 to $33,360 for the Pilot. Toyota Motor Co.p.'s Highlander SUV is less, ranging from $24,620 to $31.920, Edmunds.com said.

Chrysler's U.S. market share fell to 12.8 percent through September from 16.1 percent in 1998, the last time it had an annual market share gain. Chrysler has eliminated 30,000 jobs and closed seven plants since 2001 in an effort to return to profitability. The latest United Auto Workers union contract allows it to close two more plants, sell three and eliminate more jobs.

Some consumers complained that the old Durango was less reliable than competitors' models, and had a rougher ride and less comfortable interior than other, newer sport-utility models.

"The ride, handling and brakes were three areas that sorely needed improvement on the previous version," Consumer Reports magazine said in the October issue. "The new Durango remains conventional body-on-frame SUV, so improvements will likely be incremental."

 

cool, nice to see cars not overprice themselves

 

 

looks a little ugly

 

bout time someone priced less instead of pricing higher.

tired of that trend.

 

but the loaded version is way above their competitors at almost $42K! So the entry level Durango is probably just stripped down, once you start adding options it will be as much and more than it's competition.

 

What a pugnacious nose. It's almost like this SUV is itching for a brawl...

I just can't wait to have those giant headlights blinding me when I look into the rear view mirror

 

I'm not crazy about the look.. Looks too pointy in the front

 

From Autonews...
Throttle problem on 21,000 vehicles cited

By Mary Connelly
Automotive News / January 13, 2004

Dodge is telling dealers to stop selling the redesigned 2004 Dodge Durango because the throttle is liable to stick in the open position, resulting in a "crash without warning."

An estimated 21,000 vehicles are affected, the company said in a written communication to dealers. The vehicles affected are equipped with a 3.7-liter V-6 or 4.7-liter V-8.

The stop order does not include Durangos equipped with Dodge's 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi engine.

The company began building the redesigned 2004 model in September 2003.

"Water may enter into the throttle cable housing on about 21,000 of the vehicles," the written notice said. "If the vehicle is subjected to freezing temperatures, this could cause the throttle to stick in the open position and result in a crash without warning."

The stop sale order requires dealers to install a revised throttle control cable.

Most of the affected vehicles remain in dealer inventory, the company's notice said. Dealers are contacting any customers who have taken delivery of an affected vehicle.

 

Holy hell. I am staying as far away from those hideous things as possible!

 

Wait, 21,000 people bought a new Durango? They vote Bush too?