2026 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcats to offer 6 million customization combos
At a media preview hosted recently at Detroit's Conner Center — a former automotive plant fashioned into a storage and display center — Dodge unveiled the new Dodge Durango Hellcat and announced the 2026 model year would offer a Jailbreak trim level, meaning customers can mix and match paint jobs, interior features and more.
For the Durango, customers can choose from a variety of six custom wheels, four colors for brake calipers, six exterior colors, six badge colors, five stripe designs, five interior seat colors and four seat belt colors. Along with the customization package, Dodge is launching a new color for the 2026 model year: a sage green paint called "Green Machine."
All told, the customization opens the door for more than 6 million unique color combinations on Dodge Durango Hellcats. Dodge officials did not release pricing information.
"We challenge you to make a one-of-one from the more than 6 million combinations available," Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said at the preview.
For customers who want to guarantee they will have a unique Durango, Dodge is offering "select" buyers the opportunity to paint their car "nearly any color imaginable," outside of the six exterior colors offered through the Jailbreak program.
2026 Dodge Charger returns: Ditching its EV-only strategy, the high-output version has a top speed of 177 mph
Stellantis, Dodge's parent company, in recent times limited the production of the Hellcat engine and removed it from two of its most popular body styles: the Challenger and Charger. In 2024, Dodge unveiled a completely redone version of the Charger, powered by an electric motor — not the high-powered V8s that many Dodge aficionados had grown to love. Soon, Dodge will unveil a six-cylinder internal combustion engine for the new Charger body style.
Other Stellantis brands previously restricted familiar V8 engines. In 2024, citing a push toward electrification and stricter emissions standards, Ram ended production of the HEMI V8 in its pickup trucks. In June, though, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis announced that the HEMI V8 would be returning to dealership floors for the 2026 model year, calling the decision to discontinue the engine a mistake.
But the supercharged HEMI V8 Hellcat engine (though production has slowed) lives on in the Durango body style, boasting 710 horsepower and three rows of seating.
At the preview, McAlear cited statistics pointing to the popularity — and profitability — of the Durango. He said U.S. sales for the car jumped 51% in the second quarter of 2025 over the first quarter.
In response to a Free Press question (part of the USA TODAY Network) about the future of the Durango Hellcat, McAlear said the brand is "committed to the Durango now and in the future. It is a staple."
McAlear said the Durango is one of the last V8s standing in a crowded SUV market. Its high performance satisfies adrenaline junkies, while the conveniences afforded by three rows of seating, towing and storage capabilities can appeal to family-oriented buyers.
Dodge opened orders for the 2026 Durango Hellcat on Aug. 13, and vehicles are scheduled to start arriving at dealerships in late 2025.
The Jailbroken Hellcat will be produced at Stellantis' Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit.
Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him: LRappleye@freepress.com.
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Car and Driver
23 minutes ago
- Car and Driver
2026 Jeep Wagoneer S Review, Pricing, and Specs
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The only change we anticipate for this model year is that the Launch Edition trim, which hung on for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, will finally bow out, leaving only the Limited. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2026 Jeep Wagoneer S is expected to start around $68,000. Limited $68,000 (est) 0 $25k $50k $75k $100k $125k With just one trim available, this decision is made for you. The S Limited comes with lots of standard equipment, including a power liftgate, heated front seats, wireless device charging, and a host of active driver assists. Available items include a hands-free power liftgate, a digital rearview mirror, and front-seat ventilation. EV Motor, Power, and Performance EV Motors: 500-hp dual motor, 600-hp dual motor 500-hp dual motor, 600-hp dual motor Drivetrain: all-wheel-drive The Jeep Wagoneer S utilizes a pair of electric motors, with one drive unit mounted in the front and another in the rear. 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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe EPA City Rating: 100 MPGe 100 MPGe EPA Highway Rating: 85 MPGe The EPA hasn't released any fuel-economy information for the 2026 Wagoneer S yet, but the ratings cited here, for the 2025 model, should remain unchanged. MPGe stands for miles per gallon of gas equivalent, an EPA metric that estimates PHEV and EV vehicle fuel efficiency. For more information about the Wagoneer S's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo First Row: Though the Wagoneer S is considerably smaller than the current gas-powered Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer that it shares its name with, it borrows many of those models' trademark interior design elements. The twin-spoke, flat-bottomed wheel utilizes a new anti-microbial vinyl wrap, and heated-and-cooled seats with faux-leather upholstery are standard. Second Row: The second row is adequately roomy for adults, and offers standard heated-and-cooled outboard seats standard. 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Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.8 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.5 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 1.8 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 128 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 206 ft Braking, 100–0 mph: 416 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 79 MPGe EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 93/100/85 MPGe Range: 294 mi C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More Features and Specs
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Stellantis sued for wrongful death after worker killed at Toledo Jeep plant
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USA Today
8 hours ago
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Stellantis sued for wrongful death after worker killed at Toledo Jeep plant
The family of Antonio Gaston, a 53-year-old father of four who died on the assembly line in a Toledo Jeep factory in Ohio, is suing Stellantis — the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram — for his death. "There's so much heartbreak, losing my husband at work," Gaston's widow, Renita Shores-Gaston, told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I never expected him to go to work and not come home." In a lawsuit filed in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas on Monday, Aug. 11, Shores-Gaston said her husband's death is the fault of Stellantis, a supplier and several of Gaston's coworkers — who are unnamed in the suit — after they deliberately removed safety equipment in the plant. Shores-Gaston is seeking at least $25,000 in compensation, as well as punitive damages for Stellantis. According to the suit, Gaston died while tightening bolts on the chassis of a Jeep Gladiator as it rolled down the production line. Because pinch-point guards — safety devices that prevent a worker from getting their body trapped in machinery — along the conveyor belt were removed, Gaston got trapped beneath the chassis and dragged along as the conveyor belt moved forward, the suit says. He died from "crushing injuries to the torso," according to the coroner of Lucas County. In case you missed it: Stellantis CEO Filosa retains former role, will also lead North American operations Gaston had worked for Stellantis for 12 years and was a member of UAW Local 12 at the time of his death. Previously, he worked at the now-idled Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois. In 2021, when production at the plant paused, he was relocated to Toledo. As her voice shook, Renita Shores-Gaston said working on an assembly line shouldn't be a life-threatening job. "To lose your life for making a car, that just shouldn't be," Shores-Gaston said. In December 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Stellantis following an investigation into Gaston's death. The federal agency said a conveyor belt at the Stellantis facility lacked adequate safety protections at pinch points where employees could be caught in moving parts. OSHA recommended a $16,131 fine for the "serious violation." Stellantis has the right to appeal fine recommendations made by the agency. According to OSHA's online database, the case remains open. To Shores-Gaston, there is no dollar amount that can make right her husband's death. But she sees $16,131 as a slap in the face. "How does that help anybody? How does that make a company want to do better when they're getting fined those small amounts?" she said. "That's like pennies on the ground, I feel like, for that type of company." Stellantis said the following in an emailed statement: "We extend our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Antonio Gaston. There is nothing we take more seriously than the safety of our employees. We don't comment on ongoing litigation." Gaston's death is not the only recent workplace death at a Stellantis facility to come under scrutiny. In April, Stellantis employee Ronald Adams died at the company's Dundee Engine Plant in Michigan. An investigation into Adams' death is ongoing. In a GoFundMe campaign, Tru Parham, a union steward at the Toledo assembly plant, wrote that Gaston — known as "Tone" on the shop floor — would be remembered fondly. "The memories we all have of 'Tone' are brightened by his permanent smile and joyous nature," Parham wrote. "We work to provide for our families and our fallen brother tragically didn't make it home to his." Similarly, Shores-Gaston said she will never forget her man. "He had the biggest smile, the brightest smile," she said. "He was going to dominate the room. His presence was always big enough." Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and the UAW for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him: LRappleye@
