Special Report: Chrysler Group's SRT Division Unleashes 2,740 Horsepower on the Racetrack

The roadster is much the same as the coupe, without the fixed top of course. Like the coupe, it's one of the stiffest

Accavitti described the 300C SRT8 as a "cool, sporty, triathlete in a tuxedo." (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

convertibles available anywhere and shows this by delivering zero cowl shake even under hard cornering on rough road surfaces. It's also a joy to drive, as it delivers blistering performance with that wind in the hair rush only a convertible can offer.

Having already tested out the SRT4 on a variety of occasions, and the two Crossfire hotrods in Chelsea last year, I was most interested in pushing the two new LX models on the track. The 300C SRT8, which Accavitti (a '60s Dodge Challenger owner himself) described as a "cool, sporty, triathlete in a tuxedo," was the first to show up with the new 6.1-litre powerplant, a motor that does a lot more than merely add cubic inches, a process that incidentally included boring out the cylinder diameters by 3.5 millimeters apiece. It achieves its additional 85 horsepower over and above the already quick 340 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI, a 25 percent increase by the way, via strengthening the modified block and increasing coolant flow. A

To up engine speed and effectively increase horsepower the SRT techs modified the cams, increasing revs by 15 percent to almost 6,200 rpm. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

forged steel crankshaft was used to minimize vibration, while stronger powder-metal connecting rods capped off by oil squirter-cooled floating-pin pistons were attached. Underneath, a modified oil pan is said to reduce oil foaming.

To up engine speed and effectively increase horsepower the SRT techs modified the cams, increasing revs by 15 percent to almost 6,200 rpm - the current 5.7-liter HEMI tops out at 5,400 rpm. The engine's hollowed out valve stems also reduce drag due to their lighter weight. Interestingly, the hollows are filled with sodium for dissipating heat more effectively.