2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10 Road Test

Let the Super Truck Wars Begin

What a rush! I've been doing what I do for years now, but I still get that tingle of excitement when trying out something

The chance to test drive Dodge's Ram SRT-10 definitely stirred up that old tingle of excitement. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

exotic. That's how the anticipation felt while driving into Chrysler Group's Chelsea, Michigan Proving Grounds and eyeing a bright red Dodge Ram SRT-10 parked amid a sea of somewhat less intoxicating Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models.

I suppose a made-in-the-U.S.A. full-size pickup truck can't exactly be termed exotic, but what Dodge has stuffed under the hood puts it well into supercar territory. The truck boasts nothing less than the brand's fully-tuned 8.3-liter V10, making exactly the same numbers as in North America's most powerful sports car. That equals 500 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels, easily enough to break traction on takeoff, despite the massive Pirelli Scorpion

The Ram SRT-10 is powered by the same 500-hp 8.3-liter V10 engine found in the Dodge Viper SRT-10. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

P305/40R22 BSW performance tires riding on equally impressive 22-inch diameter polished aluminum "Viper-style" 10-spoke rims.

I took the opportunity to test it out, of course, as would anyone with a pulse. Chrysler's private proving area, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year by the way, is an impressive complex spanning hundreds of acres. The grounds include a massive oval roadway, that purposely includes badly worn pavement with punishing ruts, potholes and ridges, uneven and mixed road surfaces, plus a glossy-smooth high-speed oval running right next to it which we unfortunately couldn't get near, and best of all, a short albeit challenging road course.