SRT day at Le Circuit du Mont Tremblant

The Viper SRT10
The Snake is obviously tops. Horsepower and torque are in such

abundance that the sheer thought of the numbers (505 cubic inches, 500 hp and 525 lb/ft of torque) are enough to scare the weak at heart. Imagine what they actually feel like on the road... Acceleration is blisteringly quick and relentless all the way to 6 000 rpm. What impressed me most about the Viper was how easy it is to drive. The clutch is not impossibly heavy and the gearshift will travel to the desired gear without putting up a fight. Truthfully, almost anyone could drive the Viper.

When the mighty V10 stumbles to life once the red Start button has been prodded, the rumble is unavoidable. The hum only becomes more intoxicating as the rpms rise. The big 355 mm (14 inches) discs all-round are incredibly powerful and best of all, the pedal is effortless to modulate.  Steering is razor sharp, as expected, although I found the initial turn-in a little slow until the Run-Flat Michelins begin to dig in.

It cannot be all rosy so here are the low points: rearward visibility is limited as is legroom. $130,000 with a radio and switches from a SX 2.0 is unacceptable.

Dodge Charger SRT8
Attitude on 4 wheels. We were unable to drive the Charger however if it combines the raw engine note of the Magnum with the increased nimbleness of the 300, it will be the leader of the pack. This beast is a knockout: it has an in-your-face look that will not leave you alone if you dare to stay in the way of its progression. The principal differences between the 300C and Charger are the presence of a trunk mounted spoiler and a functional hood scoop. The Charger is bold, aggressive and will certainly sell very well.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
First impression of the Grand Cherokee is: Wow! It also inherits the 6.1L

Hemi V8 engine however its output is of (only) 415 hp and 410 lb/ft of torque. The exterior styling is very distinctive: a complete skirt kit, large front and rear valences complemented in the rear by two substantial centrally located tailpipes. The gorgeous 5-spoke 20-inch wheels do not hurt either. To compensate for the Grand Cherokee's power deficit, the SRT team created a specific transfer case for this vehicle. Not only can it handle the extra grunt but it weighs 22 kg (60 pounds) less than the regular one.

All of these vehicles save for the SRT4 and the Viper are very capable of attaining the 100 km/h mark around the claimed 5-second mark, I can attest to that. The SRT4 is slightly slower at a declared time of 5.8 seconds to 100 km/h. The Viper, the top athlete of the pack, will reach the same speed in less than 4 seconds. As well, all SRT vehicles are equipped with oversized brakes, many of which are supplied by Brembo. Needless to say that SRT has now firmly established itself as a premium in-house tuner like SVT for Ford and AMG for Mercedes.