Brute Force

As if the Dodge Ram isn't in-your-face enough, with its massive horse-collar grille, the Chrysler Group's Performance Vehicle Operations (PVO) division decided to kick things up a notch.

The '04 Ram SRT-10 performance truck marries the stunning looks of the Ram with the race-bred lineage of the Dodge Viper.

The SRT-10's mission is simple: Let the truck crowd know Dodge means business.

“At a time when the (Ford) F-150 launches, we are launching this truck, and it sends a message that the Dodge Ram is the best truck that there is out there right now,” Chrysler Chief Operating Officer Wolfgang Bernhard tells Ward's during a media preview in Austin, TX.

The Ram SRT-10's only major competitor, according to Bernhard, is the F-150 Lightning, which takes a hiatus in 2004 before returning for the '06 model year.

But no competitor can touch the SRT-10 in sheer strength. Dodge went straight for the jugular and dropped the Viper's 8.3L V-10 under the bulging hood of this beast.

That's 500 hp at 5,600 rpm and 525 lb.-ft. (678 Nm) of torque at 4,200 rpm. The engine is mated to the sole transmission choice: a 6-speed manual with a Hurst shifter.

Exterior changes also make the SRT-10 unique. A removable rear spoiler, which provides 165 lb. (75 kg) of downward pressure, helps to keep the SRT-10's back end firmly planted, while the Viper-style 22-in. polished aluminum wheels — the largest available in a production pickup — provide enough rubber to move this truck past the wannabe crowd. Extra adhesion comes from the Pirelli Scorpion 305/40 R22 tires.

Plus, there's a unique hood with integrated air intake and a custom billet grille. To add a more aggressive look, the SRT-10 rides 1 in. (2.5 cm) lower in the front and 2.5 ins. (6.3 cm) in the rear than standard Rams.

Inside, there's a new instrument cluster with satin silver-faced gauges and a recalibrated speedometer and tachometer. Silver trim adorns the center stack and air vents, while custom racing-inspired leather seats and aluminum performance pedals round out the inside.

Enough with the frilly stuff — this truck is about power and driving hard. That's exactly what we did in Texas hill country and on a makeshift autocross track in Austin.

Dodge equipped the SRT-10 with a thumping 500-watt audio system, but there's no need for it since the exhaust growl makes its own beautiful music.

The PVO team spent a lot of time making sure the exhaust of the SRT-10 sounds just right. Bernhard, a diehard car nut himself, is giddy in describing the exhaust tuning.

“We calibrated the exhaust so that when you rev it up to 4,000 rpm and you get off the throttle you have this little gurgle,” he says. “That's an emotional part of the truck. That's what PVO is all about.”

With its overwhelming strength, it's easy to forget the SRT-10 is a fullsize truck because it handles more like a sports car. New front and rear strut assemblies and a rear sway bar were added to improve cornering and virtually eliminate body roll.

On the autocross track, the SRT-10 handles twists and turns with aplomb. A professional driver at our event shows us what this truck really can do.

Tires squealing, the SRT-10 begs for more while leaving driver and passenger with permanent grins.

Bernhard says Dodge has no plans to make a quad cab or extended-cab version of the SRT-10. The auto maker says it will sell only 1,000 to 2,000 units of the truck annually.

He says Dodge already has a built-in market for SRT-10: Viper owners who haul their cars to shows.

SRT-10 is expected to carry a base price of close to $45,000, with sales beginning in early 2004.