Auto For Speed

We’re getting our first glimpse of the 2012 Dodge Durango (or Magnum) thanks to a set of renderings by Andrew Currie.

Created from leaked patent drawings, the renderings reveal the Durango will feature a Ram-inspired grille, a large front bumper, and a distinctive hood. Other styling details include a flat rear bumper (when viewed in profile), subtle character lines, and a roof-mounted spoiler.

Chrysler may be working hard to get its new crop of Fiat-infused small car offerings to market, but we must not forget that a great bulk of the automaker’s sales will be made up of crossovers and SUVs, spearheaded by vehicles like the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the upcoming Dodge Durango replacement (possibly called Magnum) in 2012. We’ve seen spy shots and patent filings of the reworked Dodge crossover, but Cheers and Gears forum member Andrew Currie has spent some time creating renderings of what the all-new CUV could look like. Very believable, if we do say so ourselves.

Details are still slim about the next-generation Durango-Magnum, but one thing’s for sure – it’s going to look a whole lot better than the aging Durango that currently sits on dealer lots. And if Chrysler can make good on its promise to offer better interior refinement, the new CUV should be a worthy competitor for GM’s Lambda quadruplets and the upcoming new Ford Explorer. Still, we’ll have to wait and see what Chrysler has in store, and we won’t be surprised if the production model makes its debut later this year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, or even early next year in Detroit.

Expected to ride on an extended version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s platform (which is based on the current Mercedes ML), the Durango will have a long wheelbase and seating for seven.Under the hood, engine options will likely include a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 280 hp (209 kW / 284 PS) and a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with 360 hp (268 kW / 365 PS). Both engines will be paired to a five-speed automatic transmission which will send power to the rear-wheel wheels (four-wheel drive will be optional).

While nothing is official, look for a possible unveiling at the 2011 North American International Auto Show.

Source: Cheers and Gears