Black Lightning
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Is ford going to beat this in 03?
Dodge SRT-10 has powerful Viper under the hood
By Tim Spell
DaimlerChrysler has a reputation for pushing the envelope on design and performance. Several radically designed auto show concept and production vehicles reinforce this automaker's image as creator of the outrageous.
The one garnering the most attention is the Dodge Ram SRT-10 pickup. Its lure is weighted slightly more on the side of performance than cosmetics. It's the monster lurking beneath the hood that generates crowd-pleasing wow and wonderment.
Saturating this half-ton Ram with Dodge performance spirit is a V10 engine transplanted straight out of a Viper convertible. Developed by Daimler-Chrysler's Performance Vehicle Operations, its mission is to capture the imaginations of enthusiasts seeking the ultimate out-of-the-box performance pickup.
Members of the PVO team are "gasoline-in-their-veins" performance enthusiasts, said Jim Schroer, executive vice president of DaimlerChrysler sales and marketing. They insist on nothing but the best, and, most importantly, the fastest.
We're building the biggest, baddest, fastest production truck in the world," Schroer said. "Compared to this the (Ford) Lightning is nothing more than a gentle rain."
The SRT-10's 8.3-liter V10 produces a minimum of 500 horsepower and 500 foot-pounds of torque. This is enough muscle to send the Ram from 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds, through a quarter-mile in less than 13 seconds, and to an estimated 150-mph top speed.
Fitted with Viper four-wheel-disc brakes, it's estimated the SRT-10 can run through a 0-100-0-mph maneuver in about 18 seconds. These brakes are clearly visible through the spokes of the show truck's enormous 24-inch alloy wheels. "Viper," inscribed in white on the red calipers, delivers the message of the truck's performance heritage. Assistance in cooling the big discs comes via flaired-in, fascia-mounted ducts.
This "Viper with a pickup body" grabs the pavement with 305/35R-24 Michelin G-Force tires. While these tires most likely won't appear on the production version, Wolf-gang Bernard, Daimler-Chrysler chief operating officer, said there is a focus on keeping the production model as close to show form as possible.
Bernard said the SRT-10 is much more than an image truck. It will be a moneymaking product that rolls off the assembly lines with other vehicles, as opposed to being hand-built at a specialty shop. He assured that performance won't be diluted, noting that engineers who developed the Le Mans-winning Vipers helped create the truck. "You're going to feel in this vehicle the flavor that comes from racing," Bernard said.
Herb Helbig, PVO senior manager for vehicle synthesis, said no focus groups were required because the motor-sports-seasoned PVO team mission was second-nature: "Build a truck that drives like crazy, is faster than all get-out and is an absolute butt-kicker when it gets out on the street."
Helbig said the production model should match well with the show truck, but the "jury's out" in some areas. For instance, he likes the hard cargo box tonneau with integrated spoiler, but isn't sure if it will appear on the production model. He indicated some type of aerodynamic enhancement is in order to keep the powerful truck stable at high speeds. "We want to be responsible and make sure the truck sticks to the ground."
The SRT-10's ride height will be lowered an inch more than a regular Ram's, and its suspension beefed up with performance-tuned springs and shocks, as well as the addition of a rear sway bar. Steering also will be recalibrated for extra responsiveness.
The show truck is fitted with a Viper six-speed manual transmission and a macho shifter sprouting from the floor. Helbig isn't certain this feature will carry over into production. He expects the street SRT-10 to have a distinctive grille and bumper fascias; wear a hood scoop; sport an aluminum, racing-style fuel-filler cover; and feature silver-faced gauges, stainless-steel pedal covers and special trim.
The show truck is upholstered in gray leather outlined with red piping. Racing flair is added with carbon-fiber-look accents. Viper-style seats were considered, but increased cost gave the nod to the traditional 40/20/40-split bench. The truck is limited to regular-cab, short-box configurations, and forecasted exterior colors are black and red.
Since much still is undecided on how the SRT-10 will be outfitted, executives aren't close to revealing the price tag. The truck's production is a sure thing for the 2003.
(Tim Spell is the automotive writer for the Houston Chronicle Cars & Trucks section.)
Copyright 2002, Motor Matters
I think it this is a ugly truck!!! just my .02 cents:tu:
Dodge SRT-10 has powerful Viper under the hood
By Tim Spell
DaimlerChrysler has a reputation for pushing the envelope on design and performance. Several radically designed auto show concept and production vehicles reinforce this automaker's image as creator of the outrageous.
The one garnering the most attention is the Dodge Ram SRT-10 pickup. Its lure is weighted slightly more on the side of performance than cosmetics. It's the monster lurking beneath the hood that generates crowd-pleasing wow and wonderment.
Saturating this half-ton Ram with Dodge performance spirit is a V10 engine transplanted straight out of a Viper convertible. Developed by Daimler-Chrysler's Performance Vehicle Operations, its mission is to capture the imaginations of enthusiasts seeking the ultimate out-of-the-box performance pickup.
Members of the PVO team are "gasoline-in-their-veins" performance enthusiasts, said Jim Schroer, executive vice president of DaimlerChrysler sales and marketing. They insist on nothing but the best, and, most importantly, the fastest.
We're building the biggest, baddest, fastest production truck in the world," Schroer said. "Compared to this the (Ford) Lightning is nothing more than a gentle rain."
The SRT-10's 8.3-liter V10 produces a minimum of 500 horsepower and 500 foot-pounds of torque. This is enough muscle to send the Ram from 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds, through a quarter-mile in less than 13 seconds, and to an estimated 150-mph top speed.
Fitted with Viper four-wheel-disc brakes, it's estimated the SRT-10 can run through a 0-100-0-mph maneuver in about 18 seconds. These brakes are clearly visible through the spokes of the show truck's enormous 24-inch alloy wheels. "Viper," inscribed in white on the red calipers, delivers the message of the truck's performance heritage. Assistance in cooling the big discs comes via flaired-in, fascia-mounted ducts.
This "Viper with a pickup body" grabs the pavement with 305/35R-24 Michelin G-Force tires. While these tires most likely won't appear on the production version, Wolf-gang Bernard, Daimler-Chrysler chief operating officer, said there is a focus on keeping the production model as close to show form as possible.
Bernard said the SRT-10 is much more than an image truck. It will be a moneymaking product that rolls off the assembly lines with other vehicles, as opposed to being hand-built at a specialty shop. He assured that performance won't be diluted, noting that engineers who developed the Le Mans-winning Vipers helped create the truck. "You're going to feel in this vehicle the flavor that comes from racing," Bernard said.
Herb Helbig, PVO senior manager for vehicle synthesis, said no focus groups were required because the motor-sports-seasoned PVO team mission was second-nature: "Build a truck that drives like crazy, is faster than all get-out and is an absolute butt-kicker when it gets out on the street."
Helbig said the production model should match well with the show truck, but the "jury's out" in some areas. For instance, he likes the hard cargo box tonneau with integrated spoiler, but isn't sure if it will appear on the production model. He indicated some type of aerodynamic enhancement is in order to keep the powerful truck stable at high speeds. "We want to be responsible and make sure the truck sticks to the ground."
The SRT-10's ride height will be lowered an inch more than a regular Ram's, and its suspension beefed up with performance-tuned springs and shocks, as well as the addition of a rear sway bar. Steering also will be recalibrated for extra responsiveness.
The show truck is fitted with a Viper six-speed manual transmission and a macho shifter sprouting from the floor. Helbig isn't certain this feature will carry over into production. He expects the street SRT-10 to have a distinctive grille and bumper fascias; wear a hood scoop; sport an aluminum, racing-style fuel-filler cover; and feature silver-faced gauges, stainless-steel pedal covers and special trim.
The show truck is upholstered in gray leather outlined with red piping. Racing flair is added with carbon-fiber-look accents. Viper-style seats were considered, but increased cost gave the nod to the traditional 40/20/40-split bench. The truck is limited to regular-cab, short-box configurations, and forecasted exterior colors are black and red.
Since much still is undecided on how the SRT-10 will be outfitted, executives aren't close to revealing the price tag. The truck's production is a sure thing for the 2003.
(Tim Spell is the automotive writer for the Houston Chronicle Cars & Trucks section.)
Copyright 2002, Motor Matters
I think it this is a ugly truck!!! just my .02 cents:tu:
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And isn't he the one that though the 2000 Cobra R would spank Vipers and Vettes? 
