SRT Brand Shows Rivals How to Build a Performance Nameplate
When Chrysler Group decided to get into the OEM tuning game, they didn't merely dabble. The SRT division, which debuted its first
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| If you haven't heard about Chrysler's 300C SRT8 or Dodge's Magnum SRT8, then you haven't been reading these pages for very long. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The "small group forms a tight and passionate unit that orbits the corporation outside the constraints of bureaucracy," commented DaimlerChrysler Canada's marketing boss Michael Accavitti. "They have hung together for years through many changes, always with the same goals in mind... class leading performance."
The SRT team followed the updated 500-horsepower Viper with a barrage of new performance models, starting with the 2004 Dodge SRT-4 compact, a 230-horsepower pocket rocket based on the SX 2.0 (Neon), and then the Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT-10 pickup truck later that year. The Crossfire SRT-6, in coupe and roadster variants, came along next, delivering up
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| The new SRT cars feature a 6.1-litre version of Chrysler Group's much celebrated HEMI V8. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
What's next in line? If you haven't heard about Chrysler's 300C SRT8 or Dodge's Magnum SRT8, then you haven't been reading these pages for very long. Arriving at dealers shortly, the super-sedan and ultra-sport wagon duo will quickly gain respect from BMW M, Jaguar R and Mercedes-Benz AMG drivers, not to mention Ford SVT Mustang Cobra owners.
The new SRT cars feature a 6.1-litre version of Chrysler Group's much celebrated HEMI V8, boasting 425-horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, mated to a slick-shifting five-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick manual mode.