Muscle with style

THERE’S no dodging the issue, the new Durango knows exactly what it is doing and where it’s going and it fits neatly under the carport for the family requiring style, safety and space.

Space has never been an issue, the vehicle has always been a big beast but in the past it sometimes lacked finesse and suffered from a split personality.

Not anymore. The designer treatment has worked, it’s no longer a ‘wanna-be’ sand buggy or a truck with seats, it’s now a sophisticated SUV oozing comfort and class without losing any of its essential presence on the road.

I seriously looked at buying one when I first arrived in Bahrain four-and-a-half years ago because we once drove a Chrysler Grand Voyager in the UK and found the seven-seater a sound investment for carting the kids and their friends around town, although the cost of filling the tank at the time still brings tears to my eyes.

That is not a problem in Bahrain as I fortunately found out when I picked up the Durango from the Behbehani Bros showroom in Sitra. The vehicle had just been returned after a test drive by one of those ghastly monthly magazines and it had been returned ‘on empty’ with the red light flashing.

Fortunately I managed to make it to the service station in Manama and with only BD3 in my wallet I was able to nearly half fill it up. Bahrain, I love you.

There was a little reason that I settled for a saloon, the old Durango’s gear stick was placed around the steering wheel. Horrible ... and fortunately the Dodge designers agreed. Today’s model boasts a simple gear stick where you would expect to find it. From its sleek exterior design to its interior, the 2011 Dodge Durango is all-new from the inside out.

And what a difference it makes. The end result is an SUV with capability and performance that thrusts the marque to the pinnacle of its competitive class.

Inside, the new Dodge Durango boasts 28 different seating configurations, with as much as 85 cubic feet of cargo and storage areas, leaving plenty of legroom.

With second and third row seats folded flat (a slick procedure needing just a flick of the wrist), the Durango can fit a six-foot sofa with room for a coffee table, according to the press pack I received. I believe it.

I reckon it’s big enough to be used as the team-bus for the Arsenal Soccer School Bahrain under-eights elite squad!
The other day I was driving the good lady wife Kathryn’s little red Jeep along the new Sitra Causeway which has a hard shoulder running along part of it. Now, I know this must be a new concept for some drivers, but it’s supposed to be there for emergencies and breakdowns so that the flow of traffic can continue.

Of course, during peak time, there’ll always be a chancer who will use it to sneak ahead a few places and push their way back into the queue.

The bully in the Toyota decided that the Jeep could be pushed off the road and rather than risk a prang I was forced to make way for the smirking son of a (calm down, now Stan).

Would he have tried it had I been behind the wheel of the Dodge Durango? I think not.

And if he had, I know who would have come off worse. Safety is a crucial characteristic of the Durango, offering 45 indispensable safety and security features to keep the driver and passengers protected comfortably.

Features include the standard Electronic Stability Control that effortlessly improves overall vehicle stability and its Electronic Roll Mitigation reacts and applies brakes during extreme situations.

In addition, it features standard front row seat mounted airbags, a side curtain airbag extending protection to all three rows and standard front row active head restraints.

There are also all the modern gadgets you’d expect. The driver can communicate, navigate and select entertainment options easily and safely and the clear picture on the display screen makes reversing such a large vehicle into a parking space a pleasurable and simple experience.

The all-wheel-drive vehicle is available with two power trains, the 3.6L V6 and the legendary 5.7L Hemi V8 engine.
My beautiful silver surfer had a ‘crew’ signature. Without doubt at a price of BD12,999 there will be numerous GulfWeekly readers keen to sign up for membership.

For further details contact Behbehani Bros on 17459955.