Speedy Daddy

Dodge Brings More Power to More People with the 2018 Durango SRT

Seeking speed? Meet the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT, which takes just 4.4 seconds to reach 60 mph and covers the quarter-mile in 12.9 seconds flat. Don’t take my word for it. The National Hot Rod Association certified those numbers for Dodge.

Equipped with a 475-horsepower, 6.4-liter “Hemi” V8 engine, the Durango SRT supplies seating for six, up to 84.5 cubic-feet of cargo space, and delivers impressive muscle at a relative bargain compared to luxury-branded high-performance SUVs.

This is more than just a straight-line acceleration tool. Dodge fortifies the Durango SRT with an 8-speed automatic with downshift rev matching, a performance all-wheel-drive system, a launch control system, an adaptive damping suspension, and seven SRT-tuned driving modes including one labeled “Track.” Brembo brake calipers clamp oversized ventilated discs (slotted up front to better dissipate heat), and a performance exhaust bellows from 4-inch outlets tucked under the rear bumper.

Dodge even provides Durango SRT owners with a free one-day session at the fabled Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. You just need to get yourself to Phoenix.

Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? There’s just one problem.

What is Speedy Daddy?

In 2010, while driving on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, California, I was listening to National Public Radio. The program showcased the history of the “Life is Good” brand, and, as a parent of four, I started thinking about ways to blend my enthusiasm for cars and love of driving, and my enthusiasm for parenting and my love for my children, into an expression of those passions that might resonate with car-enthusiast parents just like me.

Thus, the idea for Speedy Daddy was born.

I pitched Speedy Daddy to my friend, a fellow car enthusiast, automotive journalist, and parent of two, Michael Harley. An experienced entrepreneur with excellent gut instincts, Mike agreed that the concept had potential, and by January 2012, we had launched the original Speedy Daddy blog.