More Powerful and Efficient: Durango Expands Engine Line Up with FIrst Ever V-6 Power and HEMI® Magnum V-8

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Troy, Mich., October 31, 2003 - For 2004, Dodge Durango leaves the competition standing still with the injection of some serious new muscle. With a standard 210 horsepower 3.7-liter Magnum V-6 and the award-winning 5.7-liter HEMI® Magnum V-8 offered as option, Durango has all the bases covered. The 4.7-liter Magnum V-8 returns to round out an impressive powertrain lineup that delivers improved fuel efficiency across the board. The 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum offers a full 90 horsepower improvement over the 5.9-liter Magnum that it replaces.

“The new Magnum V-6 powertrain allows Durango to compete directly against full-size SUVs on price and fuel efficiency,” said Frank Klegon, Vice President, Truck Product Team. “And with the addition of the all-new HEMI Magnum V-8, which debuted on the tough Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups, this all-new SUV has a lineup of engines that is hard to match for versatility, power and capability.”

More Powerful and Efficient
First offered on the 2003 Ram Heavy Duty, the new 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum V-8 delivers a 10-percent improvement in fuel efficiency versus the previous generation 5.9-liter V-8. With 335 horsepower @ 5,400 rpm and 370 lb.-ft. @ 4,400 rpm, the new HEMI Magnum delivers a 40-percent improvement in horsepower and a 12-percent improvement in torque versus its predecessor. Equipped with HEMI, Durango sets acceleration and towing class records.

The 2004 Durango is also available with the 230 horsepower @ 4,600 rpm 4.7-liter Magnum V-8 engine. With 290 lb.-ft. of torque @ 3,600 rpm, the 4.7-liter provides smooth and responsive performance and is mated to the 5-45RFE automatic transmission, the only transmission in its class with the reverse gear ratio equal to the low gear ratio. The 5-45RFE also features a unique alternate second gear ratio for use in difficult towing and grade-climbing situations.

Automatic transmission-equipped Durangos with either the 4.7-liter Magnum or the 5.7-liter HEMI Magnum offer a “Tow/Haul” transmission feature that provides crisper shifts and reduces gear searching when towing by holding the lower gear longer. The system will also select a lower gear under downhill conditions to capitilize on the engine’s braking capability.

New to the Dodge Durango lineup is the 3.7-liter Magnum V-6, standard on two-wheel drive Durangos delivering 210 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The 3.7-liter provides improved fuel efficiency and replaces the 4.7-liter as the base engine on Durango.

Built From the Ground Up as an SUV
Improved ride refinement and handling were two of the most prominent goals of the 2004 Dodge Durango redesign. To that end, the Dodge Durango features an all-new, and unique to Durango, chassis. The result? The all-new Dodge Durango features a refined and quiet ride but with a handling edge not normally associated with large sport utility vehicles.

All-new Frame
The all-new, torsionally stiffer, hydroformed and fully-boxed frame is linked to an independent front suspension with rack and pinion steering. Despite the addition of three inches to new Dodge Durango’s wheelbase, improved front suspension packaging allowed engineers to decrease the Durango’s turning radius to 37.5 ft., better than a Honda Pilot.

“The Dodge Durango is all-new from the ground up with a hydroformed and fully boxed frame and chassis that are unique to Durango,” said Klegon. “The ride and handling bar has been raised in the SUV segment, so we custom designed this chassis to be a refined SUV from the start. We were able to take many of the lessons learned on the design and construction of our new Dodge Ram pickup frames in the areas of hydroforming and suspension tuning, but with an SUV as our goal. What we have delivered is an exceptional handling SUV that literally leaves the ever-crowded look-alike SUV pack in our dust.”

The new hydroformed Durango frame was designed to improve not only handling and accident avoidance, but excellent crash protection as well. New, patented octagonal front frame rail tips are designed to absorb frontal impacts more consistently and can be removed to ease repair without frame replacement.

Tough Design Improves Crash Protection
Dodge engineers also moved the steering rack behind the front suspension, reducing the transference of energy to the driver in an accident. The bumper height of the new 2004 Dodge Durango is within the bumper height zone of passenger cars and engages the structures of vehicles in the event of an impact. The 2004 Dodge Durango was also designed to meet future government crash tests and passes 50 mph offset rear impact tests that measure fuel system integrity.

The extensive use of hydroformed parts also simplifies the frame manufacturing process and reduces the overall number of welds, contributing to improvements in dimensional integrity and durability by limiting variations in the manufacturing process. Thanks to the consistency of the new frame dynamics, the suspension and steering can be finely tuned to deliver superior ride and improved steering feel. A new traction control system and available full-time four-wheel drive improve Durango’s on-and off-road capability.

New Rear Suspension/Real SUV Capability
Greatly improving the ride of the Durango is an all-new rear suspension with link coil design and a solid rear axle that provides a smooth ride, improves durability and delivers improved payload and a best-in-class towing capability.

“We examined independent rear suspension designs, but found that we could save weight with our design and still achieve our ride targets with a link coil set up,” Klegon said. “The solid axle system also allows us to provide a greater tow capacity. But more important than how much we can tow is the way the Durango goes about towing. Our rear-wheel geometry is markedly better under load than with an IRS system, and that translates to a more settled trailer and smoother handling while towing.”

A unique Watt linkage system is fitted to the rear axle, centering the axle and reducing rear-end stability over rough surfaces. This design also enabled the lowering of the cargo floor, aiding cargo capacity. The result: a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 6,600 lbs. and the ability to tow 8,950 lbs.

“SUVs were built with a purpose in mind, and the Dodge Durango delivers the utility that our customers want,” added Klegon. “The Watt linkage design not only helps to improve the new Durango’s ride, but it also allowed us to lower and widen the rear cargo floor, enabling Durango to carry a 48-inch sheet of plywood – an industry benchmark. The Durango gets the job done, no excuses.”

Quiet and Refined
The 2004 Dodge Durango was designed to be smoother and quieter than its predecessor and noise vibration and harshness were attacked at every opportunity.

“The new frame is stiffer and more tunable to eliminate NVH issues,” said Klegon. “To alleviate noise transmission to the passenger compartment, expandable polyurethane foam is injected into the body cavities. This prevents the frame from acting as a conduit for road and wind noise. We also increased the amount of door, glass and body sealing and lowered body air leakage by more than 35 percent. This all adds up to a very quiet and refined interior.”

Further aiding noise reduction, front door glass is 20 percent thicker than the previous generation Durango and rubber mounts for front and rear wiper systems have been installed to reduce noise. A rubber isolated rack and pinion steering gear and uniquely calibrated engine mounts were also designed to eliminate the unique frequencies and harmonics of each power unit.

New Braking System
The 2004 Dodge Durango features the braking system fitted to the Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, with standard four-wheel disc brakes, ABS and 17-inch wheels. At 13.2 inches front and 13.9 inches rear, Dodge Durango’s brake rotors provide the Durango with excellent stopping and accident avoidance capability, decreasing 60-0 mph braking distances by 10 percent. In fact, the new system performs even better under load, improving stopping distances by 13 percent at GVW (gross vehicle weight).

Durango also features a twin-stage booster and a new Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system that balances front to rear braking effort under normal conditions. It adjusts hydraulic pressure to the rear brakes based on the amount of tire slip indicated by the ABS wheel speed sensors and automatically adapts to variations in vehicle loading and road surface.

The new ABS system also includes a unique off-road logic program when the transfer case is in 4LOCK or 4LO mode, adjusting its response characteristics for slippery or deformable surfaces to optimize stopping distance.

All-New Traction Control
The 2004 Dodge Durango offers an optional and all-new traction control system on all models. The low-speed system monitors wheel slip at each wheel and modulates brake pressure to regain traction. The system transfers torque to the wheel with traction and can be deactivated.

Designed for both on and off-road surfaces, the traction control applies greater brake pressure modulation when the transfer case is in either 4LOCK or 4LO. Using the pressure modulation capability of the ABS system, the traction control system provides torque to the wheel with traction.

Although New-Cars.com checks with auto manufacturers and their representatives to confirm the accuracy of the data, it makes no guarantee or warranty, either expressed or implied with respect to the data presented here. All specifications, prices and equipment are subject to change without notice.

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