Big changes are ahead for the Dodge and SRT brands, according to a series of presentations given at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Investor Day. The briefings have given us clearer insight into the near-to-midterm product plans for the entire company. One of the most significant shifts, however, involves moving the Street and Racing Technology (SRT) in-house tuning division under Dodge, which would help codify Dodge’s newly stated identity as Fiat-Chrysler’s performance-vehicle badge.
It was only a couple of years ago that SRT became a stand-alone brand; currently, however, it offers but one product, the slow-selling SRT Viper. The change would make the Viper a Dodge once again, adding further credibility to the brand’s reinvigorated sporty aspirations. Additional SRT-blessed Dodge models will be added to the lineup, too, including a Dart SRT and an SRT version of an upcoming crossover that will replace the Dodge Journey in July 2016. There was no mention of an SRT-badged version of a new B-segment Dodge that is due in January 2018.
One of the main tip-offs to the change was the absence of an SRT brand presentation, and no mention of any SRT models in the Chrysler, Jeep, Alfa, or Fiat slideshows, either. This leaves some question as to the future of the mighty 300C SRT and the boffo Grand Cherokee SRT. It’s also likely the final nail in the coffin of the much-anticipated and long-rumored SRT Barracuda.
- 2014 SRT Viper TA First Drive: The Automotive Equivalent of a Circus Tiger
- Chrysler 300 SRT8: We Found the Perfect Place to Test a 470-hp Hunk of Iron
- Dodge Charger SRT Research: Pricing, Reviews, News, and More
On the upside, the presentation did confirm reports that a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 will power the Challenger SRT and Charger SRT models—and, significantly—that the regular Challenger and Charger models aren’t going anywhere: Replacements for both are planned for July 2018 with SRT models to follow in December 2018.
For tons of additional product news from every Fiat-Chrysler brand, click here .
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