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Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is
a midsized SUV from DaimlerChrysler's Dodge
brand. It debuted in the 1998 model year and
was redesigned for 2004. It fills the gap
in the Dodge lineup since the cancellation
of the Dodge Ramcharger in 1993. The Durango
is produced at the Newark Assembly plant in
Newark, Delaware.
The Durango was launched
just after the second-generation Dodge Dakota
on which it was based. (During the late 1980s,
Chrysler designers proposed building an SUV
version of the Dakota pickup; this was shelved
when the Jeep division was about to release
the ZJ Grand Cherokee as their flagship SUV.)
It is a very sturdy truck-based SUV designed
to hold up to seven passengers comfortably
and tow up to 9,000 lb with ease. The 4.7L
PowerTech V8 replaced the 5.2L for 2000. In
that same year a special all-wheel-drive performance
version called the R/T was released with a
5.9L engine.
The second-generation
Durango debuted shortly before the companion
Dakota pickup. Like the Dakota, it has much
in common with the large Dodge Ram pickup,
including a fully-boxed frame. It is 7 in.
longer, 2 in. wider, and 3 in. taller than
the previous model. Chrysler will introduce
its own version of the Durango, the Chrysler
Aspen, for the 2007 model year.
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