Family-size SUVs don't typically draw the power of a muscle car, but the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat will be a thrilling exception. Boasting a 710-horsepower supercharged HEMI® V-8 engine and reaching zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the Durango SRT Hellcat is a beast on wheels and a worthy home for Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season tires and available Pirelli P Zero summer tires. To better understand the power behind the Hellcat engine and name, we have to take a short detour to the mid-20th century.
The power behind the name Hellcat can be traced back to the Second World War, with the development of the Grumman F6F Hellcat series of fighter aircraft and other armored vehicles. Both machines packed serious horsepower and much more, lending a certain menacing nature to their nickname that would bring it back into the spotlight in the 21st century. It's no wonder that Dodge dubbed their heavy-duty engine with the same moniker. In 2015, the supercharged HEMI Hellcat V-8 engine was introduced on the Dodge Challenger and Charger models, both associated with high speed and muscle car culture. The Hellcat name and logo has lived on in ultra-powerful muscle car variants – which now include the exciting three-row Durango.
With the recent announcement of the Durango's own Hellcat variant, we're seeing an interesting shift to the unconventional. Many drivers are looking forward to testing a vehicle that can double as family transportation while delivering best-in-class 8,700 pounds of towing capability and a NHRA-certified quarter-mile time of 11.5 seconds; a spacious SUV with a monster under the hood. Among those anticipating the launch of the Durango SRT Hellcat is yours truly, the Pirelli team.
Naturally, the most powerful SUV in the world requires the most reliable tires to transfer that power on the road, which brings us back to Pirelli's Scorpion Zero and P Zero tires, with excellent handling, grip and comfort, these tires are a match made in heaven for the mighty Durango SRT Hellcat.
