Since 1997, the Dodge Durango has been a highly popular part of the Dodge lineup. It’s a core part of the lineup, and in fact it is the only SUV that Dodge actually build since they stopped with the Dodge Journey. But what if the Durango was actually a creation of the late 1970s? Well, popular digital car renderer Abimelec Arellano has crafted this epic rendering set of the Dodge Durango, now completely reimagined as if it was born in 1979. Arellano has also crafted a very cool 1970s style advert for the SUV.
Reimagining The Durango
The Durango is now totally reimagined in a “what if” scenario where Chrysler bought AMC a long time ago, and this Durango uses the Jeep Wagoneer as its basis. Arellano says that this Durango would have either the 360 or 440 ci engine under the hood, with selectable four-wheel drive and good old locking manual hubs. He jokes that the RAM front fascia means the 1979 Durango looks a lot like the Canyonero on the Simpsons, which was actually unintentional! This Durango is, in fact, meant to be a more bare-bones family vehicle. Whereas the Wagoneer was much more a luxurious vehicle.
The Addition Of Third Row Seating
Of course, the Durango does need third-row seating, and this car has just that. Unlike modern SUVs, Arellano points out that third-row seating in the 1970s was a lot more basic and less refined, as it was actually thought more to be for the odd trip to the airport, and not for an adventure. The render allows us to imagine what a more primitive Durango third-row could look like, and with the red interior, it's certainly pretty striking. It is not just the interior of the car that oozes 1970s, with the exterior very much having the same effect.
Classic 1970s SUV Styling
SUVs of the 1970s had quite a boxy and rather simple look, and this Durango is no exception. The square headlights and double grille are of the time, as are the refreshingly clean lines of the SUV. The Durango is very pleasant to look at, with a simple metallic red livery with a white stripe down the side and red Durango lettering on the front. Arellano has crafted up some other color combinations for the Durango, such as black with white stripes and the very striking looking yellow with black stripes and yellow Durango lettering. It’s a great “what if” into an alternate Dodge past.
Source: abimelecdesign Instagram Page