Dodge's new 2025 Durango SRT Hellcat Hammerhead proves the HEMI isn't dead yet

Little by little, platform by platform, Stellantis is saying goodbye to the vehicles that contain the Hellcat engine. We've already said goodbye to the Charger and Challenger, bid farewell to the Redeye, and given the Ram TRX an off-road debut. The latest version of the epic powerplant comes in the form of a special edition three-row SUV that may be one of the last of its kind. The Durango Hellcat hasn't been officially discontinued by Dodge yet, so the big HEMI engine is still alive for now, but with several special editions being released one after the other, we suspect the end is near.

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Officially called the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Hammerhead Special-Edition (quite a chunk), the Hammerhead joins the lineup alongside the previously released Hellcat Silver Bullet. Like the Silver Bullet, the Hammerhead is a special edition of the raging family SUV with some unique aesthetic touches inside and out that make it stand out from the crowd of standard Durangos. And like other Durangos, the Hellcat Hammerhead still offers three rows of seating, impressive interior comfort, and a growling and howling soundtrack from a supercharged V8. Power remains unchanged, provided by the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that has powered nearly endless burnouts with Hellcat and Hellephant engines over the past decade.

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Under the hood, the 2025 Hellcat Hammerhead makes 710 horsepower and 850 Nm of torque, the same as the standard SRT Hellcat. And like the standard SRT Hellcat, Dodge claims the Hammerhead Special Edition can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, do the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 180 mph. An eight-speed automatic transmission is also standard.

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In addition to standard features, the Hellcat Hammerhead gets special leather seats in Hammerhead Gray Laguna, dark blue “Night Moves” exterior paint, 20-inch carbon fiber wheels, a satin black hood, bright exhaust tips, six-piston Brembo brakes with black-painted calipers, carbon fiber and chrome interior trim, a leather and suede-wrapped steering wheel, and a suede headliner. None of these features make the Durango any faster, but that's OK with us.

The Hammerhead's acceleration figures are impressive even for lightweight sports cars, but even more so when you consider the Durango's considerable weight. Dodge hasn't released all of the Hammerhead's specs yet, but we expect it to weigh similarly to the standard SRT Hellcat, which tips the scales at 5,575 pounds. Getting all that mass moving in such a short amount of time is no small feat.

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There's no getting around the Hellcat Hammerhead's eye-watering price tag. The MSRP for this special edition model is $113,720 (plus shipping) – the same price you pay for the Silver Bullet Edition. Standard Durango models with the 3.6-liter V6 are significantly cheaper, with a 2024 SXT model costing $39,670. A Durango R/T with the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 costs $51,270, and the SRT 392 with the 6.4-liter V8 has an MSRP of $74,995. The base 2024 SRT Hellcat is significantly more expensive, however, at $95,995 – but that still doesn't come close to the nearly $115,000 it takes to drive the Hellcat Hammerhead.

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There are impressive interior features that help to mitigate the Hellcat's high price tag—things like configurable drive modes, race options for the infotainment system, and customizable launch control—but the real difference is under the hood. With multiple final versions released over the course of multiple years of production and multiple vehicles, Stellantis seems to be having a hard time saying goodbye to the Hellcat engine—and you can hardly blame them.