Durango, Now With Bacon

We were impressed with Dodge’s blue-collar Grand Cherokee when we tested it back in 2010, but we also noted that the vehicle’s success would be linked to fuel prices. Naturally, the story since then hasn’t been great: the Durango’s 2011 sales of 51,697 put it well behind the Grand Cherokee, Liberty, and Patriot. The humble Compass was only four thousand units behind, which says a lot about… something something rental fleets, I’m not actually sure what it says a lot about.

Mainstream America may no longer be willing to pay for macho street appeal with an endless supply of $4/gallon gasoline, but the public sector seems to have no such issue. Thus, we have the Dodge Durango Special Service.

Quoth the release:

Available in rear- or all-wheel drive, the Dodge Durango Special Service model comes with the following additional components designed for the rigors of daily fleet use: A heavy-duty brake package, heavy-duty battery, larger-output 220-amp alternator and heavy-duty water pump and engine oil cooler… Dodge Durango Special Service also has a customizable rear cargo area with under-floor storage compartments and additional storage in the side compartments. Further modifications include a special service interior dome lamp and headliner, spot lamp wiring prep and the deletion of the third row of seats for more cargo capacity. Even with the deletion of the third row, the second row still has separate air conditioning and heat controls.

One claim that seems to be missing: while Chevrolet claims that its Tahoe Police Package RWD models are “pursuit ready”, Dodge doesn’t seem to want to encourage cops to chase Broncos with Durangos in what would certainly be a veritable cavalcade, or perhaps rodeo, of unintentionally ironic references to the American West. A shame, really, because the Durango R/T I drove had no trouble breaking the 100-mph mark in freeway-grade curves. And once you’ve hogtied your little dogies, the adjustable rear-seat climate control can keep ’em cool.

The Durango Special Service: soon to be idling for hours in a freeway turnaround near you!