2012 Dodge Durango Receives MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Award at the Chicago Auto Show

AUBURN HILLS, MI--February 8, 2012:

• 2012 Dodge Durango earns MotorWeek Drivers' Choice award (shared with Jeep Grand Cherokee)
• Dodge brand January 2012 sales increase 29 percent; best January since 2008
• Dodge Durango January 2012 sales jump 152 percent

The year may be young, but Dodge brand vehicles are continuing to gain momentum, earning recognition from both new car buyers and the media, alike.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the editors of MotorWeek presented the "Driver's Choice, Best Large Utility" for the three-row Dodge Durango SUV (shared with Jeep Grand Cherokee) at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

MotorWeek has judged the best new cars and trucks of the year for the past 31 years. Its annual Drivers' Choice Awards looks at vehicles from a buyer's point of view, including priorities such as value and reliability, while also taking the latest trends and innovations into consideration. An episode of MotorWeek featuring the Durango and other award winners is scheduled to air Feb. 11 on PBS and on Discovery's Velocity Network Feb. 21.

"It's an honor to receive this award from MotorWeek," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO -- Dodge Brand. "Even though it's still early in 2012, Dodge has already received more than a dozen awards across the line-up, demonstrating the strength of our products."

The MotorWeek award comes on the heels of the Dodge brand's introduction of the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, where the groundbreaking compact sedan was named "Most Significant Vehicle" by AutoWeek editors. Additional recognition for the Dodge brand and its vehicles so far in 2012 include:

• AutoWeek's Editors' Choice Award -- Most Significant Vehicle at 2012 NAIAS -- Dodge Dart
• Top 10 Cars of the Detroit Auto Show, Kelley Blue Book -- Dodge Dart
• Complex Media's 25 Most Anticipated Cars of 2012 -- Dodge Dart
• Vanity Fair's Seven Hottest Cars at the NAIAS -- Dodge Dart
• 2012 Consumer Guide "Best Buy" Consumer Guide -- Dodge Charger
• Edmunds.com "Breakthrough Technology Award" for 2012 -- Dodge Charger
• Winding Road magazine's "Best Everyman Sedan Award" -- Dodge Charger
• 2012 Consumer Guide "Best Buy" Dodge Grand Caravan
• 2012 Consumer Guide "Best Buy" Dodge Journey
• 2012 Consumer Guide "Recommended" -- Dodge Durango
• 2012 cars.com "Shopper's Choice Award" -- Dodge Challenger
• Polk Automotive Loyalty Award Sports Car category -- Dodge Challenger

The Dodge brand posted a 29 percent sales increase in January, its best January since 2008 and its eighth-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The three-row Dodge Durango SUV, and the Dodge Charger and Avenger sport sedans each logged triple-digit percentage sales gains in January versus the same month in 2011.

With its four-wheel independent suspension, near 50:50 weight distribution and responsive steering and handling, Durango has driving dynamics unlike what you typically find in a sport-utility vehicle (SUV). No other SUV on the road compares with the all-new Dodge Durango's distinctive bold Dodge design that craftily houses a spacious three-row, seven-passenger functional, flexible and premium interior, covered in soft-touch materials. Durango features more than 30 storage areas, 50 seating configurations and a rear cargo area of nearly 85 cubic feet that fits a 6-foot couch with room for a coffee table or a 10-foot ladder with the front passenger seat folded flat. New for 2012, the Durango also features second-row captain's chairs with an available center console and innovative charging and storage outlets. The 2012 Dodge Durango also is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick.

Durango also delivers the perfect blend of power and fuel efficiency. Its award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine delivers a best-in-class 290 horsepower along with a best-in-class driving range of more than 550 miles on one tank of fuel -- that means Durango owners could drive all the way from Chicago to Nashville; San Diego to San Francisco; or New York City to Boston and back again without needing to stop for fuel. The available HEMI® V-8 engine with Fuel Saver multi-displacement technology delivers a best-in-class 360 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines deliver best-in-class V-6 and V-8 towing with standard Trailer-sway Control on all models (V-8 -- up to 7,400 lbs. and V-6 -- 6,200 lbs.). Durango also features more than 45 safety and security features. The starting U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for 2012 is $28,995 (all prices exclude destination).

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MOTOR TREND TRUCK OF THE YEAR:  2010 DOGE RAM HEAVY DUTY

A heavy duty truck has won Motor Trend’s coveted Truck of the Year title -- an award the magazine has rarely given to a heavy duty truck that occupies a small niche of the market.  Dodge redesigned the Ram 1500 in 2009, adding a better driving experience and more amenities. For 2010, the heavy-duty Ram 2500 and 3500 models get the same treatment.

The award, however, reflects the changing way Americans view trucks. While pickups were common family vehicles before the recent recession, truck makers are increasingly focusing their efforts on industrial and commercial markets. The AP reports, “Motor Trend said it has refocused the prize this year to reward trucks with greater utility, as leisure truck buyers have largely deserted the market. The magazine said the new focus is reflected in the choice of finalists.”

The 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty beat out the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, a high-performance off-road truck built in limited quantities, as well as two vehicles aimed primarily at commercial buyers -- the Toyota Tundra 4.6-liter work truck and the Ford Transit Connect cargo van.

Motor Trend explains, “Despite the effects of the Great Recession on personal-use truck sales, there is still demand for pickups ready to do hard work. The heavy-duty truck market has gotten smaller, but the guys who buy those pickups are fiercely loyal to the segment-they need the extreme capability these hard-working haulers provide.”  With that in mind, they praise the Ram for its 17,500-pound towing capacity, a passenger cabin they called “the best in its class,” and how easy the big Ram is to drive even when towing. “What is so impressive about the heavy-duty Ram is not only how easily it does all the tasks it's built for, but also how easy it is on the driver,” MT writes. RAM BRAND.  RAM TOUGH.  RAM WILL GET THE JOB DONE.

DODGE RAM 1500 TROPHY ROOM

Who's kidding who? Winning is everything. And the All-New Ram 1500 is scooping up awards and accolades from all over. In fact, the Dodge Ram 1500 is the most award winning 2009 truck. We look forward to winning the single most important endorsement - yours.

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