2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Brass Monkey First Look: Growing Cold
Powered by the 710 hp Hemi V-8, will this 2025 Dodge Durango inspire a new song to drink to or will it be too cold to keep anyone’s interest?
Once more into the breech, the 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat will come from fired out of the cannon of Stellantis’ celebration of the Hemi V-8 before it dies off. Again. This time, we’re treated to the Brass Monkey edition. The only problem with it is that we’re not sure if we should reference the Beastie Boys or naval warships.
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Just in case you’re more familiar with the song than the mythical meaning, it allegedly comes from the saying: “Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.” While it may seem vulgar on its face, the story goes that the “brass monkey” was the dimpled brass plate that was used to hold the cannonballs on old warships. The brass plate could get cold enough in the bitter temperatures of the winter seas that the brass monkey would shrink before the iron cannonballs did. Thus, they would get dislodged and roll around the and the phrase was supposedly born. Though, historians on naval vessels disagree because cannonballs weren’t stored on dimpled brass plates.
Sorry for the History Lesson
Other than the special treatments, the mechanicals are all the same: 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V-8, Brembo six-piston brake system, and a TorqueFlite 8HP95 eight-speed automatic (but you do get paddle shifters for manual gear changes in this auto box). Though, we do have to say the color combo of the dark Red Oxide, flat black hood decal, and Brass Monkey dark bronze wheels give it the feel of a murdered-out SUV without being all black. Ignoring the hood scoop and the badging—in “Brass Mokey” dark bronze coloring—it’s an understated and unassuming look until you hit 60 in 3.5 seconds and blast the quarter mile in 11.5-seconds with a top speed of 180 mph.
That Funky Monkey Interior
Inside, the Durango Brass Monkey features Sepia Laguna leather SRT seats with silver SRT Hellcat logos on the front seatbacks. The black leather and suede SRT steering wheel use silver and sepia contrast stitching, like what we see throughout the cabin. What isn’t wrapped in leather on the dashboard is covered in forged carbon fiber and light black chrome accents. Above everyone is a black suede headliner but there doesn’t appear to be a sunroof and the option isn’t listed in the spec sheet given out by Dodge. That means, other than the noise of the 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi, you’ll be entertained by a 19-speaker Harman Kardon system with an 825-Watt amplifier tied into the Durango Hellcat’s 10.1-inch infotainment screen. Bu you will get SRT Performance Gauges to let you know how your Brass Monkey is handling.
The price of the 2025 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Brass Monkey starts at $115,315, the same price as the other two 2025 Durango SRT Hellcat special editions and a $46,750 premium over the Durango R/T 20th Anniversary ($68,565). It’s also $13,620 more than the “standard” Durango SRT Hellcat ($101,695) but these special editions will be limited production, despite Dodge not saying just how many will be available.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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