MotorWeek

HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US TO SEE THE LATEST OF WHAT ACURA HAS CONJURED UP FOR THEIR POPULAR MDX UTILITY... PAT GOSS PULLS INTO THE PITS FOR A TIRE CHANGE... GREG CARLOSS TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES FOR WHEEL SPINNING MOTORWEEK STYLE... THEN, WE'LL POWER THROUGH A ROAD TEST OF DODGE'S DURANGO SRT HELLCAT...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , 40 YEARS, STEERING YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

John: QUICK, WHAT IS THE BEST-SELLING LUXURY 3-ROW UTILITY VEHICLE OF ALL TIME?

TIME'S UP.

IT'S THE ACURA MDX, WITH OVER A MILLION ON THE ROAD SINCE IT ARRIVED FOR 2001.

SO LET'S FIND OUT WHAT MAKES THE MDX SO POPULAR, AND WHAT ACURA HAS DONE TO MAKE IT EVER MORE SO FOR 2022.

* THESE DAYS, SUVs HAVE A LOT ON THEIR WELL-SCULPTED SHOULDERS; ESPECIALLY IN THE LUXURY RANKS, WHERE THEY NEED TO NOT ONLY OFFER LOTS OF ACTUAL UTILITY, BUT INCREASINGLY TEND TO BE THE FLAGSHIPS FOR THEIR BRANDS.

WHICH MEANS, BRINGING NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AND RATCHETING UP BOTH FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE.

THIS ALL-NEW 2022 ACURA MDX LOOKS TO BE UP FOR THE TASK.

THE MDX STORY STARTED IN 2001, ARRIVING AT A TIME WHEN THE UNSTOPPABLE POPULARITY OF SUVs WAS FILTERING ITS WAY UP TO LUXURY BRANDS, AIDED BY A ROBUST ECONOMY.

SO QUICKLY WAS THIS HAPPENING, THAT MANY WERE TAKING THE "BADGE-ENGINEERING" APPROACH.

NOT ACURA, THEY ENVISIONED SOMETHING TRULY DIFFERENT FOR THE SEGMENT; A "NEAR PERFECT BALANCE BETWEEN A SOPHISTICATED SEDAN AND CAPABLE SPORT UTILITY."

IN OUR 20TH SEASON ROAD TEST, WE CALLED IT "ONE OF THE SMOOTHEST RUNNING AND HANDLING SUVs ON THE PLANET."

FLASH FORWARD TO 2022, AND THIS 4TH GENERATION MDX SEES PERHAPS ITS BIGGEST TRANSFORMATION EVER; YET, AS WE'LL SEE, NOT MUCH HAS TRULY CHANGED.

THIS ALL-NEW PLATFORM IS MORE RIGID, AND STRETCHES THE WHEELBASE BY ALMOST 3.0 INCHES.

VIRTUALLY EVERY EXTERIOR MEASUREMENT HAS INCREASED, AND THE FRONT WHEELS HAVE BEEN PUSHED FARTHER FORWARD, LENGTHENING THE HOOD TO GIVE A MUCH MORE ATHLETIC PROFILE.

AS FOR TECH, YOU'RE GREETED WITH LOTS OF IT AS SOON AS YOU HIT THE SILVER START BUTTON, WITH ACURA'S PRECISION COCKPIT COMING TO LIFE.

IT'S THE FIRST FULLY DIGITAL DISPLAY FOR THE BRAND, AND IT'S STANDARD ON THE MDX.

FOR INFOTAINMENT, THERE'S A 12 INCH DASH-TOP SCREEN; NOT ONLY WITH FULL APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO INTEGRATION, BUT ALEXA IS ALONG FOR THE RIDE TOO.

THE CENTER CONSOLE AND MOST CONTROLS ARE ALL VERY SIMILAR WITH THE TLX SEDAN; WHICH MEANS, A TOUCHPAD CONTROLLER FOR ACURALINK.

IT'S FINE WHEN YOU'RE PARKED AND SITTING STILL IN THE CAR, BUT TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE ROAD WHILE CONCENTRATING ON THE TOUCHPAD AND LOOKING AT THE SCREEN CAN BE DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY ON BUMPY ROADS.

USE DOES IMPROVE WITH FAMILIARITY, BUT WE TEND TO ONLY USE IT WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

ON TO MORE PRACTICAL MATTERS; THERE'S MORE SPACE INSIDE FOR ALL THREE ROWS AND SEVEN PASSENGERS.

COMFORT IS AS GOOD AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, WHILE FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN PLACE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER.

THE SECOND ROW MIDDLE SEAT CAN EITHER FOLD DOWN INTO A CONSOLE, OR BE REMOVED ENTIRELY.

SO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BENCH OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS, ACURA GIVES YOU BOTH.

NOT ONLY IS THERE 2.4 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL LEGROOM IN THE THIRD ROW, BUT SEAT BOTTOMS ARE HIGHER FOR A MORE COMFORTABLE SEATING POSITION.

A 3.5 LITER V6 HAS BEEN PART OF THE MDX PICTURE FOR MOST OF ITS EXISTENCE, AND THAT CONTINUES HERE; OUTPUT REMAINS 290 HORSEPOWER AND 267 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, BUT THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT REVISIONS, MAINLY TO REDUCE EMISSIONS ALONG WITH NOISE, VIBRATION, AND HARSHNESS.

THE MDX WILL SOON JOIN THE TURBO RANKS WHEN A NEW TYPE S ARRIVES THIS SUMMER WITH A 355 HORSEPOWER 3.0 LITER V6 TURBO.

ONE MORE GEAR HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS NOW A 10-SPEED.

GOING FULL-SPEED AT OUR TEST TRACK, THE MDX DELIVERED CONSISTENT POWER WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF THROATY EXHAUST NOISE.

ZERO TO 60 WAS A GOOD 6.4 SECONDS; WITH THE QUARTER-MILE TAKING 15.2 AT 92 MILES PER HOUR.

WITH THIS NEW PLATFORM, COMES A NEW SUSPENSION SETUP; THE REAR REMAINS A MULTI-LINK, BUT THE WHOLE SUB-FRAME HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO BE MORE COMPACT AND PROVIDE BETTER ISOLATION FROM THE CABIN.

WHILE UP FRONT, IS AN ALL-NEW DOUBLE WISHBONE DESIGN REPLACING THE MACPHERSON STRUTS OF THE PREVIOUS GEN. YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO UPGRADE TO SUPER-HANDLING ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, BUT YOU WON'T REGRET DOING IT; AS IT HELPS THE MDX HANDLE BETTER THAN SOME SPORT SEDANS.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 19-CITY, 25-HIGHWAY, AND 21-COMBINED; WE AVERAGED A GOOD 22.5 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

THOSE RATINGS EQUATE TO A JUST SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE; 15.7 BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL USE, WITH 7.0 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

HAVING SAID ALL THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THE MDX, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST REASON FOR ITS CONTINUED POPULARITY COMES DOWN TO VALUE.

POINT OF ENTRY UNDERCUTS MOST RIVALS AT $47,925.

SUPER-HANDLING ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS A $2,000 OPTION FOR THE BASE MODEL, AND COMES STANDARD WITH A-SPEC AND ADVANCE TRIMS.

THOSE QUICKLY DRAWN TO THE LATEST ATTENTION-GRABBING SHINY WHEELED OBJECT OF DESIRE MAY BE DISAPPOINTED.

CLEARLY, THE 2022 ACURA MDX IS NOT THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE.

IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT SUBSTANCE, AND THERE'S LOADS OF THAT ON TAP HERE.

CURRENT MDX FANS WILL LOVE THE UPGRADES, AND ALL ACURA OWNERS WILL SOON BENEFIT FROM THE HALO EFFECT THE NEW MDX BRINGS TO THE BRAND.

* * Flashback Craig Singhaus: WHO WOULD OF EVER BELIEVED THAT A RAMBLER, THE CAR YOUR GRANDMOTHER DROVE TO CHURCH, WITH ITS SMALL V8, WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING UNDER SUCH PRESSURE, LET ALONE SURVIVE SYDNEY DIXON.

[CAR DOOR CLOSES] John: LIKE, WE HAVE FOR OVER THREE DECADES, IN JANUARY 2020, WE PACKED UP OUR GEAR AND HEADED SOUTH FOR OUR ANNUAL ROAD TEST TRIP TO WARMER CLIMES OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

LITTLE DID WE KNOW, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WOULD KEEP US FROM RETURNING FOR 2021.

FORTUNATELY, OUR GREG CARLOSS, WAS ALREADY WORKING ON A TREAT FOR OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON.

SO, LET'S GO OVER THE EDGE, AND BEHIND THE SCENES, TO HAPPIER TIMES.

* Greg Carloss: EVERY JANUARY WHEN WINTER FREEZES OUR PRODUCTION IN MARYLAND, THE WHOLE MOTORWEEK CREW PACKS UP ALL THE GEAR AND HEADS DOWN HERE, TO ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY OUTSIDE OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA WHERE WE SPEND A FULL WEEK TRACK TESTING HIGH PERFORMANCE CARS.

I KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE A DREAM.

BUT, IT'S A VERY REAL JOB AND LET ME SHOW YOU HOW WE DO IT.

IT ALL STARTS AT WHAT WE REFER TO SIMPLY AS "THE MANSION."

THE PICTURESQUE GROVE POINT PLANTATION, ONCE GREGORY PECK'S HANGOUT IN "CAPE FEAR" BACKDROPS JOHN'S SEGMENT INTROS AND THE ENDLESS VEHICLE DETAIL SHOTS NEEDED FOR SEVEN WEEKS' WORTH OF EPISODES.

WHAT YOU SEE, IS THIS, BUT BEHIND THE CAMERAS, FOR US IT'S DOZENS OF DOLLY SETUPS, COUNTLESS CAR CHANGES, AND A MOUNTAIN OF CUE CARDS, NOT TO MENTION AALLLL THE DULLING SPRAY.

IN TOTAL, CAMERAS ARE ROLLING FOR ALMOST 8-FULL HOURS, AND THAT'S JUST THE FIRST DAY... DAY TWO IS WHEN THE REAL FUN STARTS.

THE MORNING IS FILLED WITH MORE STANDUPS AND STATIC SHOOTS AS WELL AS CAR PREP, AND SAFETY CHECKS FOR OUR TEST VEHICLES.

HERE, TIRE PRESSURE AND LUG NUT TORQUE ARE CRITICAL.

FINALLY, IT'S TIME TO SUIT UP!

[ENGINE REVS] THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING AND REALLY MOST IMPORTANT JOB THIS WEEK.

GETTING IN AND ACTUALLY TEST DRIVING THE CARS ON THE RACE TRACK.

A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO MIX BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE!

[ENGINE REVS] OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T JUST END WITH THE DRIVING, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE HOW THE CAR FEELS ON THE TRACK INTO WORDS.

Kyle Scanlon: THIS IS A FAST, FAST CAR THAT IS FOR SURE.

I'M EVEN A LITTLE SHAKY ON THAT ONE.

Greg: CARS THESE DAYS ARE SAFER THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN, BUT THEY'RE ALSO FASTER AND MORE EXPENSIVE, MANY REACHING SPEEDS OVER 150 MPH AND SOME COSTING $150,000 OR MORE.

SO MYSELF AND THE OTHER TEST DRIVERS RELY NOT ONLY ON NERVES OF CARBON FIBER, BUT THE SKILLS WE'VE ACQUIRED FROM YEARS OF TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE.

AS CARS ZOOM AROUND THE TRACK, OUR TOP-NOTCH CAMERA CREWS ARE OUT THERE RECORDING ALL THE ACTION UP CLOSE.

EACH SHOT IS CAREFULLY PLANNED OUT AHEAD OF TIME, SO WE CAN SHOW ALL OF THE 9-TURN, 2.0 MILE ROAD COURSE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, STAY SAFE WHILE DOING IT.

VISUALLY, TRACK TESTS FROM MOTORWEEK'S EARLY YEARS WERE SORT OF LIKE SCHOOL LUNCHES, GIVING YOU THE SUBSTANCE YOU NEED WITHOUT MUCH ELSE.

BUT BREAKTHROUGHS IN CAMERA TECHNOLOGY NOW ALLOW US TO SERVE UP A 5-STAR FEAST FOR THE EYES.

THESE BIG SHOULDER CAMERAS STILL PROVIDE THE MEAT AND POTATOES...

WHILE, GOPROS ADD A DASH OF SPICE... DRONES DRIZZLE ON THE AWESOME SAUCE... AND DSLRS SPRINKLE ON THE FINISHING GARNISH... EACH DAY WE RUN TWO OR THREE LONG HOT LAP SESSIONS.

AND, WITH FLAGS TO WAVE, CAMERAS TO MOUNT, AND CONTINUITY TO KEEP, IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK AT ALL TIMES IN THE PITS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T TAKE TIME TO HAVE SOME FUN AND BLOW OFF SOME STEAM...AND SMOKE!

AFTER THREE DAYS OF INTENSE TRACK TESTING, WE TEND TO GO THROUGH SOME TIRES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS ONE'S PRETTY WORN OUT, HONESTLY, SO AM I.

BUT THE WORK'S NOT DONE.

WE HAVE TO HEAD BACK TO MARYLAND AND WORK OUR TV MAGIC, AND PUT TOGETHER A SHOW FOR YOU TO ENJOY.

EACH FIVE AND A HALF MINUTE TEST WE PRODUCE DURING ROEBLING WEEK IS THE CULMINATION OF HOURS OF TOTAL TEAMWORK AND I TRULY MISSED DOING IT THIS YEAR.

BUT, THE WHEELS KEEP ROLLING HERE AT MOTORWEEK JUST AS THEY HAVE FOR 40 YEARS!

John: FOR MOST CARS ROTATING YOUR TIRES IS THE BEST WAY TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THEM.

FOR THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT, LET'S ROTATE OVER TO PAT AT GOSS' GARAGE.

* Pat Goss: I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE WANTING TO DO THEIR OWN TIRE ROTATION.

CAN THEY?

YES, CERTAINLY YOU CAN.

BUT I THINK, IT'S A WHOLE LOT BETTER TO HAVE A SHOP DO IT WHILE IT'S UP IN THE AIR GETTING SOME OTHER SERVICE PERFORMED.

GETTING AN OIL CHANGE?

LOTS OF TIME THEY'LL THROW IN THE TIRE ROTATION FREE OF CHARGE.

BUT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IT YOURSELF?

OKAY, WHAT DO YOU NEED?

WELL FIRST YOU NEED AN OWNER'S MANUAL THAT TELLS YOU THE TORQUE ON THE LUG NUTS AND WHERE THE JACKING POINTS ARE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO JACK THE CAR UP.

MORE ON THAT IN A SECOND.

NOW, YOU NEED SOMETHING TO REMOVE THE LUG NUTS, SOMETHING LIKE THIS WRENCH OR THIS BREAKER BAR HERE.

YOU DO NOT USE YOUR TORQUE WRENCH ALTHOUGH YOU DO NEED ONE TO DO THE ROTATION.

THE TORQUE WRENCH CAN BE KNOCKED OUT OF CALIBRATION IF YOU USE IT TO REMOVE LUG NUTS.

ALRIGHT SO WE GOT THAT OUT OF THE WAY, NOW WE NEED A DECENT JACK.

NOT ONE OF THESE SCISSOR JACKS, WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO USE FOR JOBS LIKE THIS, YOU NEED A FLOOR JACK.

AND REMEMBER THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE JACKING POINTS, MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THAT WHEN YOU JACK THE CAR UP, SO YOU DON'T CRUSH A BRAKE LINE OR A WIRE HARNESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

ALRIGHT...NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO JACK IT UP, YOU HAVE TO GET ALL FOUR WHEELS UP OFF THE GROUND AND MAINTAIN IT THERE SO THAT MEANS YOU NEED FOUR JACK STANDS.

SO YOU RAISE IT UP, YOU'VE GOT YOUR FOUR JACK STANDS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO POSITION THOSE JACK STANDS ON.

IF YOUR DRIVEWAY ISN'T CONCRETE, IF IT'S BLACK TOP, GRAVEL, DIRT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PIECE OF PLYWOOD UNDER EACH ONE OF THE JACK STANDS TO MAKE IT STABLE AND SAFE.

ALRIGHT, WE GOT ALL THAT DONE, AND OH, AND SPEAKING OF JACK STANDS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BUY THINGS, IF YOU'RE GOING TO WORK ON YOUR CAR MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER EVERY ONE OF THEM.

WE HAVE FOUR PIECES RIGHT HERE, FOUR JACK STANDS, AND TWO OF THEM ARE RECALLED, IF WE HADN'T REGISTERED THEM, WE WOULD NEVER KNOW THEY WERE RECALLED.

ALRIGHT, YOU GET THE CAR UP IN THE AIR, THE NEXT THING YOU DO IS TAKE THE WHEELS OFF; USE A MODIFIED X ROTATION PATTERN, THAT MEANS THAT THE TIRES THAT ARE GOING ON THE DRIVE WHEELS GET X'ED.

THE TIRES THAT ARE GOING ON THE NON-DRIVE WHEELS STAY ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE CAR AND MOVE TO THE OTHER END.

GET ALL OF THAT DONE, THEN USE YOUR TORQUE WRENCH TO PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE WHEELS.

AND YOU HAVE SPENT A COUPLE THREE HOURS DOING A TIRE ROTATION.

OKAY, YOUR DECISION.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE, RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

[CAR HORN BEEPS] John: OUR MOTORWEEK 40TH ANNIVERSARY CAR OF THE WEEK IS THIS PRISTINE, UNRESTORED 1988 DODGE OMNI.

CHARLES ZIEGELBEIN FROM SEDALIA, MISSOURI BOUGHT IT USED IN '88, AND DROVE IT DAILY FOR FIVE YEARS.

NOW, IT MOSTLY JUST GOES TO CAR SHOWS AND WINS AWARDS!

SUBMIT PHOTOS OF YOUR WINNER FOR CAR OF THE WEEK CONSIDERATION TO... 2021 IS ALREADY SHAPING UP TO BE A BOUNTIFUL YEAR; THAT IS LOTS OF EXCITING NEW CARS AND TRUCKS HEADED OUR WAY.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE LATEST.

* Greg: WE KNEW THAT FORD WOULD HAVE A RESPONSE FOR RAM'S 1500 TRX OFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE TRUCK; AND WITH THE F-150 FRESH OFF A COMPLETE REDESIGN, WE ALSO KNEW IT WOULDN'T TAKE LONG.

WELL, THE 2021 FORD F-150 RAPTOR WILL HIT THE STREETS THIS SUMMER, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE TRX WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT; AT LEAST INITIALLY, AS FAR AS FOR WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD.

MANY FORD FANS WERE NOT PLEASED WHEN THE LAST GENERATION RAPTOR MADE THE SWITCH TO ECOBOOST V6 POWER, AND FOR THE TIME BEING, THEY'LL FIND THAT SAME 3.5 LITER TWIN-TURBO UNDER THE HOOD, ALBEIT WITH A SLIGHT POWER INCREASE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER YET, BUT IT'S A PRETTY GOOD BET IT WON'T COME CLOSE TO THE TRX'S 702 HORSEPOWER.

ALTHOUGH, KEEP IN MIND, A V8-POWERED RAPTOR R IS IN THE WORKS.

SO WHILE THIS RAPTOR DOESN'T HAVE A V8, A NEW ACTIVE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WITH 4-DIFFERENT MODES, WILL HELP IT AT LEAST SOUND LIKE ONE.

SAME 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TOO, ALONG WITH 2-SPEED TORQUE-ON-DEMAND 4-WHEEL-DRIVE AND LOCKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL.

Brian Robinson: FORD HAS A LONG HISTORY OF HIGH PERFORMANCE TRUCKS GOING BACK AT LEAST TO THE SVT LIGHTNING DAYS, BUT THEY REALLY STARTED SOMETHING SPECIAL WHEN THEY BROUGHT THE RAPTOR OUT IN 2010; AND ALL THIS TIME, SINCE THEN, THEY'VE REALLY HAD NO SERIOUS COMPETITION UNTIL RECENTLY WITH THE TRX.

AND WHILE THIS NEW RAPTOR IS NOT QUITE AT TRX POWER LEVELS WHEN IT COMES TO THE OVERALL PACKAGE FOR OFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE, I'D SAY, IT'S MORE THAN COMPETITIVE.

Greg: THAT'S BECAUSE OTHER HARDWARE NEWS IS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT, AND WILL DEFINITELY GIVE THE TRX A RUN FOR ITS MONEY.

IT STARTS WITH AN ALL-NEW 5-LINK REAR SUSPENSION DESIGN, WITH 15 INCHES OF TRAVEL.

THE FRONT SUSPENSION KEEPS THE SAME BASIC F-150 ARCHITECTURE, BUT ALL PARTS ARE UPGRADED, PROVIDING 14 INCHES OF TRAVEL UP FRONT.

THIRTY-FIVE INCH TIRES ARE STANDARD, BUT 37s ARE AVAILABLE, AND COME WITH UNIQUE FOX SHOCKS.

THERE IS OF COURSE, LOTS OF STRUCTURAL BRACING ADDED TO THE FRAME, SHOCK TOWERS, AND SUSPENSION MOUNTS; AS WELL AS A HOST OF ELECTRONIC DRIVING AIDS SPECIFIC TO OFF-ROADING, THROUGH THE SEVEN SETTINGS OF THE TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, TRAIL CONTROL, AND EVEN OFF-ROAD ASSIST IN SYNC 4.

AND YES, THE F-150'S ONBOARD GENERATOR IS AVAILABLE, THOUGH IT IS THE SMALLER 2.0 KILOWATT SYSTEM FOR NON-HYBRID TRUCKS.

THE NEW RAPTOR SITS 6.0 INCHES WIDER THAN A STANDARD F-150, AND NOT JUST COURTESY OF SOME FENDER FLARES; THE WHOLE FRONT END IS WIDER WITH A UNIQUE GRILLE, AND OF COURSE, LED LIGHTING.

FLOW THROUGH VENTILATION ON THE FENDERS AND HOOD HELPS KEEP THE MECHANICALS FROM OVERHEATING.

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU SEE, FEEL, AND TOUCH INSIDE HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH NEW MATERIALS; ALL ENCOMPASSED IN THREE DIFFERENT THEMES.

IN ADDITION, THERE'S A NEW STEERING WHEEL WITH LARGE PADDLE SHIFTERS, AN OVERHEAD CONSOLE WITH ACCESSORY SWITCHES, AND A UNIQUE DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Jessica Ray: NOW, I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF GRAPHICS ON TRUCKS BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I REALLY LIKE HOW SUBTLE THE GRAPHICS ARE ON THIS NEW RAPTOR.

FORD BUILT THIS TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO RIP THROUGH THE SANDS OF BAJA, SO IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT THESE GRAPHICS ARE DESERT INSPIRED.

BUT I REALLY THINK THAT FORD HIT THE MARK ON STYLING, TAKING THAT BOLD LOOK FROM THE ORIGINAL RAPTOR IN 2010 AND MODERNIZING IT FOR 2021.

Greg: STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO ON THE 2021 FORD F-150 RAPTOR, AS WELL AS THE RAPTOR R, HERE ON MOTORWEEK !

John: THEY SEEM TO ASK A LOT OF "WHAT IFS?"

OVER AT DODGE.

WHAT IF WE BUILD A 700 HORSEPOWER MUSCLE CAR?

WHAT IF WE TAKE ITS ENGINE AND MAKE THE FASTEST PRODUCTION SEDAN EVER?

WHAT IF WE PUT THAT ENGINE IN A JEEP?

AND FINALLY, WHY HAVEN'T WE STUFFED THAT ENGINE IN OUR OWN DODGE DURANGO ALREADY?

WELL, FOR THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE HOLD ON TIGHT.

* DODGE IS NOT AFRAID OF MAKING BOLD CLAIMS, AND THEY USUALLY HAVE NO PROBLEM BACKING THEM UP EITHER.

THEIR LATEST DECLARATION OF SUPERIORITY COMES WITH THE 2021 DURANGO SRT HELLCAT, THE MOST POWERFUL SUV EVER.

BASED ON HELLCAT BEING IN THE NAME, YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WHAT'S MAKING THIS HAPPEN, DODGE'S 6.2 LITER SUPERCHARGED HEMI HELLCAT V8.

IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT DROP IN THOUGH, AS DODGE HAS TAILORED IT JUST FOR THE DURANGO; MOSTLY TO ADDRESS COOLING.

THE RESULT IS 710 HORSEPOWER, SEVEN FEWER THAN THE CURRENT CHALLENGER SRT HELLCAT BUT THREE MORE THAN THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TRACKHAWK, WITH 645 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

A NEW DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM FEATURES THE LARGEST X-PIPE OF ANY SRT VEHICLE.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE, THAT DODGE DIDN'T TURN THIS INTO A REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE ONLY DRAG-STRIP RACER.

ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS STANDARD, AND IT STILL TOWS 8,700 POUNDS, WORKING WITH AN UPGRADED TORQUEFLITE 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

YES, DODGE'S STREET AND RACING TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT MORE THAN JUST 0-60s.

THEY'VE ADDED NEW SPRINGS, AND STIFFENED SUSPENSION MOUNTS FOR MORE GRIP AND STABILITY IN CORNERS TOO.

SO, IT'S MORE "TRACKY" IN TRACK MODE; BUT THEY'VE ADDRESSED THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM AS WELL, PROVIDING MORE COMFORT IN AUTO MODE THAN THE SRT 392.

SO, ON THE ROAD, THE DURANGO HELLCAT IS ACTUALLY QUITE SMOOTH AND EASY DRIVING; SURPRISINGLY SO, AS IT DOESN'T FEEL INSANE OR OVERLY POWERFUL AT ALL.

THAT CIVILITY COULD ACTUALLY BE A BAD THING FOR SOME WHO WANT TO FEEL AS IF THEY'RE FIGHTING BACK THE BEAST AT ALL TIMES.

OUR BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT WAS NOT THAT, BUT THE FACT THAT OUR TEST TRACK WAS COVERED IN SNOW.

SO, WE WERE UNABLE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THIS HELLACIOUS HOT ROD IS CAPABLE OF.

FORTUNATELY, DODGE DID THE DIRTY WORK FOR US, WITH TIME SLIPS OF 11.5 SECONDS IN THE QUARTER-MILE; 3.5 FOR THE 0-60.

THERE'S A BEEFED UP TRANSFER CASE TO HANDLE ALL OF THE STRESS THAT COMES WITH DISTRIBUTING THAT AMOUNT OF POWER TO THE FULL-TIME ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM.

A MAX OF 70% IS SENT TO THE REAR WHEELS WHEN IN TRACK MODE; OTHERWISE IT RUNS MOSTLY WITH A 50/50 SPLIT.

INTERIOR FUNCTIONALITY REMAINS FULLY INTACT; YES, THIS IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE WORLD'S FIRST 3-ROW MUSCLE CAR.

IN FACT, THIS SRT HELLCAT SHOWCASES A NEW INTERIOR LAYOUT SHARED WITH ALL DURANGO'S FOR '21; WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CENTER CONSOLE, AND DOOR PANELS ALL GETTING A REDESIGN.

DRAWING INCREASING INSPIRATION FROM DODGE'S CHALLENGER, THERE'S A SPORTIER LOOK THAN BEFORE, AND THINGS HAVE GOTTEN MORE DRIVER ORIENTED; YET, AT THE SAME TIME, IT FEELS ROOMIER THAN EVER.

UCONNECT HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH VARIOUS SCREEN SIZES UP TO 10 INCHES AVAILABLE; IT LOOKS BETTER THAN EVER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, REMAINS VERY INTUITIVE.

SRT'S COMES WITH A PERFORMANCE STEERING WHEEL, AND NO BENCH SEAT HERE IN THE SECOND ROW, AS CAPTAIN CHAIRS ARE STANDARD, LIMITING THE FUN FACTOR TO A HALF DOZEN.

THE CONSOLE BETWEEN THEM IS OPTIONAL, AS IS A REAR DVD ENTERTAINMENT CENTER.

CARGO CAPACITY REMAINS PLENTIFUL; 17.2 CUBIC-FEET BEHIND THE THIRD ROW, 43.3 BEHIND THE SECOND, AND 85.1 WITH ALL SEATS FOLDED.

ALL DURANGO'S ARE MORE BOLDLY STYLED FOR '21 TOO; THIS SRT HELLCAT MAXIMIZING THAT APPROACH WITH A UNIQUE FRONT FASCIA THAT OPENS THINGS UP FOR BETTER COOLING AIRFLOW.

WHILE, A FRONT SPLITTER WORKS WITH A LARGE REAR SPOILER TO INCREASE DOWNFORCE MORE THAN 400%.

DODGE IS PUSHING THE LIMITS WITH THE AMOUNT OF NOISE COMING OUT OF THOSE EXHAUST TIPS, AND ITS CERTAINLY MUSIC TO OUR EARS, THOUGH, WE ADMIT IT CAN GET DRONEY WHEN CRUISING IN HIGH GEAR.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS, OBVIOUSLY NOT A STRONG POINT, 12-CITY, 17-HIGHWAY, AND 13-COMBINED; WITH OUR AVERAGE COMING IN AT 13.3 MILES PER GALLON ON PREMIUM.

AT $82,490, THE DURANGO SRT HELLCAT IS CLEARLY AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE, BUT YOU CAN EASILY SPEND A LOT MORE THAN THAT ON QUITE A FEW SUVs THESE DAYS WITH A LOT LESS TO MAKE THEM GO.

HOWEVER, UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THE BADDEST DURANGO EVER, FOR ABOUT $17,000 LESS, YOU CAN GET THE 475 HORSEPOWER SRT 392, AND STILL HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO BRING A SMILE TO ALL ONBOARD.

WHILE, THE FUTURE OF SRT IS A BIT MUDDY, WITH ENGINEERS BEING ABSORBED INTO A NEW STELLANTIS GLOBAL ENGINEERING DIVISION; THE FUTURE OF THIS 2021 DODGE DURANGO SRT HELLCAT IS CLEAR AS IT CAN BE, THERE ISN'T ONE.

THIS IS A ONE-YEAR ONLY DEAL; SO IF YOU NEED A 700 PLUS HORSEPOWER 3-ROW MUSCLE CAR, BETTER MAKE YOUR DEAL WITH THE DEVIL WHILE YOU CAN.

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

NOW FOR MORE MOTORWEEK ; INCLUDING DAILY NEWS UPDATES, PODCASTS, AND EVEN COMPLETE EPISODES, CRUISE ON OVER TO PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, FOR A SPEEDY GOOD TIME IN BMW'S LATEST 4-SERIES THEN WE'LL GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A NEW BUICK ENVISION.

UNTIL THEN, I'M JOHN DAVIS, WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK !

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT... MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

* THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

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