SEMA Preview: Dodge bringing Viper-powered Challenger SRT10 Concept
by John Neff on Oct 14th 2008 at 11:00AM 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept
Though the Official Car of SEMA this year is the Chevy Camaro, we expect tons of tuners to show up in Las Vegas with the Dodge Challenger. The Challenger has been on sale all year, which has given the customizing crowd plenty of time to modify the new muscle car. None, however, will match the vehicle that Dodge itself is bringing to Sin City. Meet the Challenger SRT10 Concept, which sports an 8.4L V10 engine graciously donated by a Viper SRT10. You can see the Challenger SRT10 Concept hanging out with a Viper SRT10 ACR in our gallery below, as well as what happens when you attempt to transfer the engine's 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque to the ground through the Challenger's rear tires. Needless to say, enough tire smoke is produced to affect the weather in China. Other mods include a functional carbon fiber shaker hood that feeds air to the voluminous V10, a carbon fiber front splitter and rear deck lid, a new rear spoiler, BILSTEIN shocks at all four corners, larger wheels, bigger brakes and quad exhaust tips out back. More carbon fiber trim can be found in the cockpit along with new sports seats and a red engine start push-button just like in the Viper.
Uh... we likey, but we also want to know how serious an exercise this is. Could Dodge actually build and sell the Challenger SRT10 now that we know the Viper's V10 fits between its front wheels just fine? Is this Dodge's answer to the Shelby Mustang GT500KR? Thanks for the tip, Ben!
Gallery: Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept
[Source: The Scoop]
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PRESS RELEASE
Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept
Auburn Hills, Mich., Oct 14, 2008 - The opportunity for SRT engineering to "one-up" itself comes to fruition with the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept. Power for the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept comes from the Dodge Viper 8.4-liter, all-aluminum V-10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb. ft. of torque. It's a vehicle that delivers the well-known SRT credo of benchmark performance. The Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept includes a fresh coat of Tornado Red paint with a carbon-fiber deck lid and hood. The "shaker hood" is a nostalgic representation of the 1970 HEMI Cuda, giving the 600-hp Viper V-10 engine room to breathe. Brakes have been upgraded and BILSTEIN® shocks at all four corners improve handling balance. The interior boasts sport seats and carbon-fiber accents throughout and, of course, true to the Viper-powered vehicle lineage, a red engine start push-button in the dash.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Avinash machado 11:03AM (10/14/2008)
With Chrysler planning to sell off the Viper, this could make a good flagship or Halo car for Dodge.
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Chad 11:07AM (10/14/2008)
Now we're talkin'.
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Domestic 6.0 1:38PM (10/14/2008)
damn thats sick !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Torrent 4:20AM (10/15/2008)
Now the Chance of a Z28 has raised a notch.
Carlos 11:09AM (10/14/2008)
I'll take the Viper please
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CarbonBlack 11:28AM (10/14/2008)
I want that engine swapped into a base model challenger with no visual modifications. It would be the ultimate sleeper!
TJ 11:44AM (10/14/2008)
@Carbon...
Its got the same manual trans as the viper, so it *shouldn't* be that difficult to bolt it in.
Sherief 3:22PM (10/14/2008)
Assuming the hemi and V-10 have the same mounting points, which I sort of doubt.
montoym 11:23PM (10/14/2008)
They might not be too far off. Remember that Dodge also had the Ram SRT-10 for a bit which also used a Viper motor. The Ram also houses the Hemi so they must have found some way to do it.
ichime 11:21AM (10/14/2008)
I would hope that this thing would do 0-60 under 5 seconds seeing that the SRT8 version can't even do that. Funniest thing about the whole SRT8 line-up is that it's best performer...is the Jeep Cherokee with 10hp less than the other SRT8s.
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ichime 11:23AM (10/14/2008)
hehe, sry for the bad grammar, just woke up this morning and saw this...
Tom 11:31AM (10/14/2008)
Motor Trend has been able to get the SRT8 from 0-60 in 4.6 Seconds. She's faster than she looks.
I'd hate to see the Viper go but this does at least make up for her absence. Personally I'd like to see them put the 6.4L, 392 HEMI in there, but I guess you really can't go wrong with an aluminum V10.
ichime 11:43AM (10/14/2008)
Ah yeah, you're right Tom. I found those numbers on MotorTrend online just now. Interesting because when others tested it, the best they got were low 5s. Now let's see what 2 extra cylinders and 175 extra horses can do...
Talisman 4:54PM (10/14/2008)
Getting an SRT-8 to do 0 to 60 in under 5 secs(all of them can do it) is all in the launch. You have to get it just right. Ive been playing with one at the drag strip. But once you get it down, they will easily run consistent low 13's(or faster) at the strip.
kal326 12:50PM (10/14/2008)
@ichime
You don't think the full time 4 wheel drive on the Jeep has anything to do with the faster 0-60? I would think the ability of the vehicle to redistribute torque to the wheel(s) with the most traction would be faster then waiting for the back two to grab hold like on ever other SRT8 model.
ichime 1:04PM (10/14/2008)
@kal326
Yes the full time 4wd has definitely a lot to do with it. It's just interesting that an SUV is the best performer of that line-up. Among the Mercedes 63 AMG series for example, the ML 63 is the worst performer and it also has 4wd.
RJ 4:27PM (10/14/2008)
It's not that the Jeep has the best performance, just that the gearing and AWD setup makes it a better off-the-line car.
Line up the Jeep and other SRT8s and do a 50 - 130 mph race and see who wins.
Also, the ML should be on-par with the Jeep up to 60 mph, and then the German should pull well ahead on the top end.
CarbonBlack 11:21AM (10/14/2008)
All of a sudden, the Challenger SRT8 seems sedate/lame!
;-)
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Paul P. 11:24AM (10/14/2008)
I want one! The gas mileage wouldn't be that great, but it would make for one awesome muscle car. That engine is really untapped as well, capable of over 800hp N/A and over 1000hp with boost. That would get that two-ton car moving!
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BadRam 11:36AM (10/14/2008)
I want one! Hello, Dodge . . .
I'll trade my SRT10 Ram for one. TODAY.
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