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.

Ronan Glon

Ronan Glon is an American journalist and automotive historian based in France. He enjoys working on old cars and spending time outdoors seeking out his next project car.