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The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat vs the Mercedes AMG E63 S Wagon is a battle for the ultimate grocery getter
by Dim Angelov, on LISTEN 03:11Coming up with a car that can both give you the ultimate driver satisfaction and be a usable daily driver is a tall order. Or at least it used to be. The two contenders in today’s drag race prove that nothing is impossible. The YouTube channel Sam CarLegion has arranged for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat and Mercedes AMG E63 S Wagon to throw down on the drag strip and see, which is the ultimate grocery getter.
The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is a lot of car, so it needs a lot of engine in order to take on the AMG E63 S. The full-size SUV is equipped with a 6.2-liter Hellcat V-8 engine. The pushrod unit develops 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet (875 Nm). All this hits the ground through a ZF eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. However, there’s no hiding the fact that the Durango SRT weighs in at a whopping 5,334 pounds (2,419 kg).
Mercedes’ AMG E63 S is probably the quickest station wagon currently on sale. It has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that makes 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Nm). They hit the ground through a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic and Mercedes’ all-wheel-drive system. Although lighter than the Dodge, the “Merc” still weighs in at a hefty 4,683 pounds (2,124 kg). That said, the E63 S has a much lower silhouette than the big SUV, so aerodynamics could be the decisive factor.
The two machines make three runs from a dig and one 50 km/h (31 mph) rolling race. In normal mode, the Durango SRT Hellcat rockets off the line, but as suspected, the lighter, more aerodynamic Mercedes catches it in the end. In Sport mode (Track mode for the Dodge), the Mercedes launches much more aggressively, giving it the lead much earlier in the race.
For the rolling race (also in Sport/Track mode), the Supercharged V-8 showcases its superior response to the German twin-turbo V-8, by simply vanishing from the camera view. You wouldn’t think that a 5,334-pound SUV would be able to move the way the Durango SRT Hellcat did. However, as before, the more “slippery” Mercedes overtook it and won. The video finishes with the third race from a dig and the results are similar to the first ones.
Regardless, the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat proves that SUVs should not be underestimated when talking about straight-line performance. Moreover, it proved it can keep up with a proper Autobahn missile. It also costs less, at $82,500 vs $113,000 (starting price). Watch the video below and let us know what you think. Which one do you think is a better grocery getter?
