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There’s nothing the internet loves more than some good clickbait, and the hype surrounding Dodge’s ads featuring Ron Burgundy, star of the Anchorman movies, and the Durango CUV, are perfect fodder for this type of content. Web publications like Mashable, along with numerous auto blogs, have run articles cliaming that the Anchorman-themed ads have caused Durango sales to “skyrocket”. But as Tim Cain shows us, correlation does not necessarily equal causation. Durango sales have been on the rise for some time now. But never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
45 Comments on “Did Ron Burgundy Really Help Move Durangos?...”
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Traditionally the domestics have renamed a mediocre product after a better version is introduced. But that didn’t happen with the Durango. In one redesign it went from being an awkward looking also-ran SUV to damn good looking (IMHO) de-contented Mercedes GL for less than half the cost (starting at just under $30K).
It looks like the market is slowly waking up to that fact.
Want a 300 HP, RWD, IRS unibody wagon for $29,795? Here it is.
No brown option, and that is a shame because it would look good.
Actually, they can be ordered in rugged brown. It’s is a nice shade on these and would be my choice.
If you are correct then the internet lied to me. I’m not completely surprized that dodge.com omits the rugged brown option (definitely the way to go), since it also omits, for example, the Viper.
Rugged brown was a 2013 color, but it was you-know-what-canned for 2014. And to see the Viper, you have to go to the SRT website, since it’s no longer a Dodge product.
There you go, get your brown Durango while they last.
The first generation durango was awesome. The second sold so poorly I think many probably didn’t even know it existed. The current durango, back to awesome. I’d buy one of these over a charger any day of the week.
The commercials are pretty funny if you’re a Ferrell / Burgundy fan. I like the glovebox one.
Anyway, the commercials did nothing to change my opinion or interest level of the Durango. Probably because I’m not in the market for a vehicle like that.
I think the more relevant fact is that they are advertising it at all. Plus, Racer-esq hit the nail on the head. If you can avoid the temptation to option the thing up, it’s a lot of vehicle for the money. The fact that it seems to be a decent vehicle as well also helps. Personally, I don’t really get Will Ferrell, but the ads are memorable and unlike a lot of clever ads, it associates the product with the clever bit quite well.
I seriously thought about a Durango but we ended up buying before the 2014s were out. Ended up with a CX-9 on a smoking lease deal but the Dodge is on the shortlist for our next buy. Especially if they drop the small diesel in there, as is rumored.
“Web publications like Mashable, along with numerous auto blogs, have run articles cliaming that the Anchorman-themed ads have caused Durango sales to ‘skyrocket\'”
They’re merely repeating what Chrysler has said. Dodge is claiming that web traffic has increased by about 80% (whatever that means) since the launch of the ad campaign.
I just looked at the ad channel on YouTube. The most popular ones have 1-2 million hits. The ads may be working, after all.
If they’d offer some sort of deal on these already, I’d probably have one to replace my F-150.
You can buy a loaded Durango citadel for 8k off,go get one.
Not where I’m at. Only $2500 retail dollars off here.
Email a couple of Dodge dealers you will be surprised
I believe it.
I test drove a Cadillac XTS last week, and while the Cadillac website shows $5k off (which, in and of itself is ridiculous, by the way) the salesman I worked with told me they were putting $10k on the hood.
What did you think of it TuffJuff?
CUV?
Absolutely.
The Durango straddles the fence between CUV and SUV. Considering it is based on the GC/GL platform, which was designed from the ground up as a unibody SUV, it is much more of an SUV than the FWD car-based tall wagons like the Explorer, Pathfinder and Cherokee.
The Durango is the stretched, three-seat, 8-passenger, alternative to a Grand Cherokee.
A military, Mormon friend of mine has one to haul his six pre-teen kids around in.
His Durango has the same Pentastar powertrain, 4X4 system, electric driver seat, satellite radio and black cloth interior as the GC Laredo of another friend of mine, except with the third seat.
As much of a CUV as the original Cherokee. It is technically unibody but has full length welded frame rails. It is lighter, stronger and safer than if it was built BOF. I had a BOF SUV that got totaled because of irreparable frame damage from a light accident, BOF is overrated.
If I was doing substantial towing I would want a live rear axle. There are companies that make trucks with heavy duty independent suspensions, for example Tatra or the HUMVEE/H1, but I would not want to put a lot of stress on the Mercedes IRS.
But with no towing the Durango is a substantially better deal than a Tahoe.
Classing this with a Highlander is like classing a Charger with a Camry.
The rear suspension is load leveling on the Durango. Nothing you have said proves that the suspension or chassis isn’t capable of handling towing duties. I’d highly doubt that Chrysler would have increased the towing capacity of the Durango if it wasn’t truly up to the task.
Why wasn’t a smaller this the new Cherokee?
Because the “smaller this” is the grand cherokee.
The commercials are awesome! They’re not just another cookie-cutter ad, but something unique and funny.
Now, would I buy a Dodge Durango? Sure… in about 15 years when I can get one of these for about $3000 or so.
Come on, people, buy these things up so that they can be as cheap as a thirteen-owner LeSabre years from now.
I have to admit, a 300 hp dirt-cheap truckster sounds pretty good. Hope the trannies don’t turn into grenades.
The front end of those Durangos in the commercial are ugly. I saw one at the store this morning. It had hubcaps.
This generation of Durango does not come with hubcaps on any trim level 18″ Aluminum wheels are standard. (Dodge.com confirms this) The Explorer does come with hubcaps on the base trim level.
The owner must have swapped in a set of steel wheels then.
I never saw “Anchorman” nor do I care to, plus I’m not a fan of Ferrell.
The ONLY thing I like about the ads is that as I zip through commercials on my DVR, when these ads appear, usually my shows start right after or very soon after. It’s a good time mark!
Right there with you. Not sure why they run the commercial last in the series, but am grateful they do. And I have absolutely no interest in watching any movie with Will Ferrel or Adam Sandler in it. And have only recently learned to tolerate Bill Murray.
The Durango sells itself. My grandpa had the last generation. I didn’t like it. The new gen is HOT. If they’d offered an SRT, I’d have that instead of a JGCSRT.
Boy, that escalated quickly…
You’ve gotta have your head on a swivel!
That’s a very nice house back there, but it’s too bad it has a garage far too grandiose for the house portion, and jutting out in front that way.
Who designs a modern Craftsman that way? People can’t park in your driveway if they visit, because it’s full of garage doors which you might need access to. Garage goes to the side or behind the house. Duh.
A house that’s more than 50% garage? Sign me up.
TTAC writes an article about Ron Burgundy selling Dodge Durangos, and illustrates it with…a burgundy Durango. Nice. Was this intentional?
Probably not, they were probably drunk on some kind of wine when they picked the photo. Chablis maybe…
Stay classy, Kreutzer!
The wine had to be burgundy.
I think I might be the only person who prefers the older body style. :)
I assume you mean the first generation. That was before the monster cross hairs grille, with a pretty much upright greenhouse.
Thanks for sharing this awesome post. Ron Burgundy and Durango CUV I like this car.I am very impressed this Ron Burgundy.Most Indian latest car ,models are refined and designed on innovative technology platforms.
I was a little suspicious of those headlines about Durango sales taking off.
Always noticing new vehicles with paper dealer plates when I travel the various freeways of SoCal daily in my job, I barely see any. Lots of Grand Cherokees (and everything else), but not many Durangos.
The R/T version exists largely so Ralph Gillies can have a bitchin tow rig for his track car(s).
I think it probably tows just fine.