Performance Pickup Trucks: Dodge Ram SRT-10

Dodge rummaged through the Viper parts bin to outperform its rivals.

Ronan Glon | 

Jun 26, 2024 | 3 min read

Ram

Dodge made a late and loud entrance into the muscle truck segment. Instead of following Ford's example in the 1990s by putting a high-horsepower V8 engine into its Ram pickup, it built the 2000s SRT-10 model around the Viper's big V10.

The Truck With a Supercar Heart

The idea of installing a supercar engine into a pickup wasn't new. Dodge previewed the Ram SRT-10 with a close-to-production concept unveiled at the 2002 Detroit auto show. Unique design studies are part of an auto show's appeal, but Dodge's Viper-powered truck wasn't merely a marketing pirouette. It arrived in showrooms with roughly the same specifications and muscular-looking design.

The SRT-10's 8.3-liter V10 made 500 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque, the same output it generated under the Viper's long hood. In comparison, the Ford F-150 Lightning used a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 rated at 380 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. While the Lightning only came with an automatic transmission, the Viper's six-speed manual drove the SRT-10's rear wheels.

Ram

Redesign Adds Significant Downforce

Engineers in Dodge's Performance Vehicle Operations unit redesigned the suspension to reduce body roll and lower ride height, and designers gave the SRT-10 a model-specific body kit characterized by a deep front bumper with air intakes and fog lights, as well as a rear wing to add downforce.

Former NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan put that downforce to use by reaching 154.587 mph in an unmodified SRT-10. This feat earned the Viper-powered Ram a spot in the Guinness World Records as the fastest production pickup.

Initially offered only as a single-cab truck with a short bed, the SRT-10 became available with four doors for the 2005 model year. The engine remained the same, but it was linked to a four-speed automatic transmission.

Dodge made visual updates to the SRT-10 for 2006 and ended production that same year after building a total of 9,527 units. The automaker didn't replace the SRT-10 with any other pickup as capable.

Value of the Ram SRT-10

Although it boasts far more power than the F-150 Lightning, the single-cab SRT-10 isn't worth as much. Classic-car insurer Hagerty valued a 2004 example in good condition at $26,800 in April 2024.

The newer four-door is more popular. Hagerty estimated the value of a 2006 example in good condition at $30,500. Some trucks outperform these numbers. Online auction site Cars & Bids sold a 22,500-mile 2004 SRT-10 for $36,000 in June 2022, and online auction site Bring a Trailer sold a 2005 model with 6,000 miles for $37,000 in January 2023.

Ram

There Is No Modern Equivalent to the Ram SRT-10

Dodge no longer has a V10. It buried its last 10-cylinder when it discontinued the Viper in 2017. A modern-day SRT-10-like Ram truck buyer can only purchase a V8.

The midrange Rebel trim can be configured with rear-wheel drive, a 5.7-liter V8 rated at 395 horsepower, and a $3,000 G/T Package that adds features such as a cold-air intake system, vinyl- and leather-upholstered bucket seats, and race pedals.

A modern, SRT-10-inspired Ram 1500 costs about $66,000. It has two-wheel drive like the SRT-10 and features a sporty design inside and out, but it lacks the street-focused suspension setup.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.