Pricey rally cars eating snowbank is a perennial favorite up here in freezin' Atlanta, Michigan at the Sno*Drift Rally. Consider this a teaser for the massive, steaming pile of coverage we're about to bestow upon the internets. At the moment, we're digging through the 10 gigabytes of tasty action shots and miles of HD videotape we captured in the past weekend. To whet your appetite for now, please accept this epic shot we've lovingly placed below for your consumption.

To follow all of our obscene coverage of Sno*Drift and the rest of the scene from here on out, hit the RallyAmerica tag.

Photo Credit: Alex "Chocolate Lovin" Conley

The ASC built McLaren Diamondback Viper is now up for grabs on DodgeVipersForSale.com. Originally built for the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, the Diamondback Viper was a one-off concept based on the 2006 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Coupe that showcased lighter weight components and a McLaren tuned 8.0-liter V10 good for 615 horsepower. It was originally rumored that the Diamondback was the precursor to the 2008 model, but unfortunately it was shelved to live its life as a concept study only.

The Diamondback Viper featured custom carbon fiber body panels, a special stainless steel quad outlet exhaust, a custom carbon fiber racing stripe with "Mclaren Orange" and "Viper Blue" accents as well as a custom in-hood trumpeted air intake system with individual port throttles.

It's estimated that it cost ASC and Dodge $750,000 to build the one-off Diamondback Viper, but it can be yours for the much lower price of $295,000. This may seem expensive to you and me, but considering the collectability of concept cars, this is one's a steal.

Diamondback Viper Startup

Original ASC Press Release:

THIS IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE VIPER
ASC (American Specialty Cars) has a long history of developing vehicle prototypes with innovations designed to showcase the company’s expertise in vehicle design and performance materials. ASC showed its expertise at the 2006 North American International Auto Show by unveiling a supercar made even more super by the addition of a mostly carbon-fiber body. A ‘snake’ with an all-new skin, the ASC Viper Diamondback is super-light and super-fast. It’s fitting that ASC, which helped the Chrysler Group bring the new Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe to life, would, with the aid of McLaren Performance Technologies, show how the Viper coupe might be taken to an all-new level of ‘extreme’.

The 2006 615-horsepower Diamandback Viper features a carbon fiber roof, deck lid, rockers, fascia inserts and body trim. It also sports a massive OmniCarbon™ hood that shows off ten unique trumpeted air intakes, with individual port throttles peeking through. This is a McLaren Performance Technologies feature, reminiscent of McLaren Can-Am engines of the past.

The hood is comprised of compression-molded carbon fiber, both painted and woven. It’s displayed beautifully, with a broad, clearcoated racing stripe down the Arctic White painted expanse, subtly outlined by “Viper Blue” and “McLaren Orange” pinstripes. In all, ASC removed about 85 lbs. from the vehicle — the hood alone weighs about half of the standard production model. Taken together with the performance modifications by McLaren, the resulting power-to-weight ratio is estimated to yield an incredible 0-60 time — in just 3.5 seconds!

ASC MODIFICATIONS:

* Custom McLaren Performance Technologies engine tuning, resulting in 615 Horsepower

* Exterior racing-type kill switch

* Custom ASC OmniCarbon™ hood, with carbon-fiber roof, hatch, front chin spoiler, rear fascia, side rockers, deck spoiler, side venting gills and interior accents

* Custom in-hood tumpeted air intakes,
with individual port throttles

* 1.25" lowered suspension

* 4-point racing harness

* Custom stainless-steel, quad outlet exhaust

* Custom carbon-fiber racing stripe, with "McLaren Orange" and "Viper Blue" accents

* "Arctic Ice Pearl" paint

* Custom 3-piece forged and painted 19" aluminum wheels

[Dodge Vipers For Sale via Motor Authority]

For this example, we'll be using the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, but the essential procedure can be applied to any number of slushbox-equipped RWD vehicles. Once you've mastered the technique, feel free to make your own video to show us all what you've learned. If you'd like some examples, check out our Corvette ZR1 burnout video, or this slow-motion Ford Mustang burnout video.

Photo Credit: Alex C. Conley

The Drag Package Challengers are also stripped down and fitted with lightweight components like a composite lift-off style hood, which also comes in handy if you want to disturb the peace in your neighborhood. Of course, the cars won't be street legal, so if you want to cruise Woodward, you'll be asking for trouble.

Center Line, Mich., Jul 13, 2008 - Mopar® is bringing the iconic Dodge Challenger muscle car to National Hot Road Association (NHRA) drag-racing competition. Mopar revealed two Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Cars at the 29th Annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals today before thrilled fans at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo. Mopar Mile-High Nationals is the longest-running NHRA sponsorship.

"Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Judy "Miss Mighty Mopar" Lilly were behind the wheels for their inaugural track run. Garlits drove the car featuring the Stone White paint scheme. Lilly was behind the wheel of the "Mopar Liquid Metal" prototype. NHRA named Garlits the #1 driver of the Top 50 drivers from its first 50 years. His victories and accomplishments are virtually unmatched in drag-racing history. "Miss Mighty Mopar" is one of the female pioneers in drag racing. Spending 12 years on the NHRA circuit, Lilly is the only female driver to win two NHRA national events in one year.

Mopar built the first two Challenger Drag Race Package Cars for development and testing for its new Challenger Package Car program. Based on the Challenger SRT8®, the prototypes were finished in Stock Eliminator configuration. They ran successfully in June 2008 as proof-of-concept and for NHRA certification. Mopar dropped approximately 1,000 lbs. off the production Challenger SRT8 by eliminating major production components and systems. To accentuate the weight savings, they also feature added composite, polycarbonate and lightweight components designed for drag racing that will be part of the new Package Car program.

The engine was repositioned to improve driveline angle and weight distribution. The 116-inch wheelbase was shortened by ½ inch. They also feature a front cradle with bolt-in crossmember and solid engine mounts.

"Today is a great day for Mopar, Dodge, SRT, drag racers and motorsports enthusiasts everywhere. Not made for the streets, our drag-race-only Challengers will be running soon in NHRA competition—the best grassroots racing series in the world," said Sunil Lahoti, Mopar Marketing and Brand Manager, Chrysler LLC. "And who better to drive our new Challenger Package Cars on their inaugural track run than 'Big Daddy' and 'Miss Mighty Mopar'—the greatest drag racer of all time and a female pioneer of the sport."

New Dodge Challenger Drag Race Package Car Program by Mopar
The first drag-race, factory-prepped package cars built in 40 years, the new Challenger Drag Race Package Car by Mopar builds on the heritage of the limited-edition 1968 HEMI®-powered Package Cars. Those '68 Dodge Darts and Plymouth Barracudas solidified the Mopar brand as a quarter-mile force.

Mopar will build a minimum of 100 Challenger Drag Race Package Cars to meet NHRA requirements. Based on the production Dodge Challenger SRT8, Mopar's modern factory-prepped Challenger Drag Race Package Car will begin as a special Body-in-White (BIW) from Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario, Canada, assembly plant. The body sealer, sound deadener and undercoat will be eliminated. To reduce vehicle weight, major production component and systems will also be eliminated including: windshield wiper assembly, complete HVAC system, all airbag components, rear seats, power steering system, exhaust system and underbody heat shields, cross-car and side impact door beams, rear bumper beam and rear deck lid spoiler.

The drag racer has three engine options—6.1-liter or 5.7-liter HEMI or 5.9-liter Magnum® Wedge—as well as manual or automatic transmission.

A build book/owner's manual will be provided to document the modifications made to the Challenger SRT8 as well as provide recommendations to finish the Package Car for Stock Eliminator competition. To accentuate weight savings, there are unique drag-race components in the Package Car program including: composite lift-off hood with functional scoop, Viper-style front seats, polycarbonate door windows, lightweight cooling module with electric fan, manual rack and pinion steering, special cable-operated deck lid release, special lightweight front brake assembly and special cable-operated throttle linkage and pedal assembly.

The Challenger Drag Race Package Car will be eligible to run in three Eliminator categories—Comp, Super Stock and Stock—and potentially 40 classes.

Depending upon the configuration selected, the U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the Challenger Drag Race Package Car program will range from the low to mid $30s. Each car will carry an identification plate with sequential serial number.

The Challenger Drag Race Package Car will be available for order in late August to early September. A toll-free number will be designated for ordering. Details will be posted on www.mopar.com.

Now in its fifth decade, NHRA is the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body with 80,000 members, 140 member tracks, more than 35,000 licensed competitors and more than 5,000 member-track events. NHRA is second only to NASCAR in terms of fan attendance.

70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Originally used in the 1920s, Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It was also widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s—the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth "package cars" equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of "Special Parts" for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

Today, Chrysler LLC's Global Service & Parts division is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of nearly 250,000 authentic Mopar replacement parts, components, restoration parts, accessories and performance parts for Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles sold around the world. To assure quality, reliability and durability, all Mopar parts and accessories are designed in strict adherence to Chrysler engineering standards.

[Challengertalk.com]

"Chrysler Group has confirmed that it will build a high-performance version of the Dodge Challenger. It is expected to launch sometime after the 2009-model base car rolls out. The SRT-8 Challenger will be based on the next-generation LX platform, the LY."

But are we sure we believe Ward's — I mean, they do know the first year of the car's going to be a 2008 model year, right? Or do they mean an SRT won't come out until the 2009 model year — the second year of the newly re-born muscle car from the Ram's Horn-y brand? Also by "LY" platform — do they mean "LC" platform? Are they the same? We're so confused. [SEMA eNews]

After years of enjoying the ability to determine what speed I felt was safe, amongst other moderately skilled drivers doing the same, I find this country's utterly senseless draconian enforcement of unreasonably low speed limits incredibly confining. Never one to succumb to claustrophobia, I can only speculate that's what I feel when driving here in the US. The wide-open highways close around me, squeezing my concentration into the roadside ahead; every shrub, building or bridge becomes the lair of Johnny Law, lying in wait to prey upon people careless enough to exercise their freedom.

The Viper wasn't made to be driven slowly. And thanks to its phenomenal grip and composure, anything below 120mph feels slow. Cruising at 65mph turns yesterday's phenomenal supercar into a lumbering box of boredom, bouncing over every bump and rut, the groaning engine betraying its utilitarian heritage. At these kinds of speeds, you yearn for distractions, something you'll find too little of in this car. Lacking both the elegant minimalism of a Lotus Elise or the extravagant wistfulness of a TVR, the Dodge's interior is made worse by the rest of the car's competence. Acres of sweaty black plastic, the kind that adorned early '80s Walkman knockoffs — and that smells faintly of urine — do an exceptionally patchy job of holding in their innards. Look at the gauges from the passenger seat and you can see through a centimeter-wide gap into the wilderness of wires beyond.

People passing outside can't see the interior past the Viper's new sharp creases or old bulbous shapes. The main visual differences for 2008 are the six functional vents in the hood, but people can tell this car is special. Stop at a gas station and people ask you questions, drive through a town and people take pictures, pass someone else in a fast car and they want to race. They lose.

In a just world you could leave all this attention behind. Kids in Blazers swerving beside you to get a better look couldn't keep up. Moms in minivans barring the way - all minivan drivers being by definition female - could be brushed aside. With 600 hp promising 200 mph you'd be nothing but a quickly fleeting mystery in people's minds. This is what the Viper promises and in a perfect world would deliver. But confined by the constraints of reality the promise remains just that. The Viper is an unfullfillable fantasy, elating in the potential lurking deep in its accelerator travel is a reward too often impossible to be truly satisfying.

Part One, Part Two

Flying through the air at more than 20 mph, I didn't have time to think about how landing was going to feel. Subsequently, when my editor called to ask me to drive the Viper, I was in the bathroom armed with tweezers and hydrogen peroxide, slowly removing pieces of road from inside my back. You have plenty of time to reflect on such things when you spin a car at high speed. Once you've pushed the clutch in and put the brakes on full, there's really not much you can do other than think about what you've done. I really need to learn this lesson. I'll be lucky to survive this one unscathed.

Somehow, the car manages to avoid the tire barriers. I don't even stall it.

In the official version, I was going 150 mph down VIR's main straight. In reality, I'm not sure how fast it was. At that point on the track, on my fastest laps, I was hitting 180 mph. Having just returned from lunch, this lap wasn't my fastest, but it wasn't slow either.

Pulling back onto the track - slowly, there could be damage - I'm furious with myself. What an idiotic mistake. My spin wasn't caused by lack of skill or the Viper's overwhelming speed; it was caused by pure stupidity. VIR's main straight is really more of a long, gentle curve to the right. Somehow I'd allowed myself to start daydreaming about three-quarters of the way down it. That's when I drifted toward the edge of the track and clipped the grass, the rest happened too fast to accurately recall.

I'd been having such a good time too. Unlike a lot of its competition, the Viper's made for the track. More comfortable here than any road legal car I've driven since the previous generation 911 GT3 RS - the Viper feels faster and doesn't sacrifice so much comfort. Its half-assed design and basic spec sheet belie its sheer ability. I didn't think I would like this car, I was wrong.

Where a lot of fast cars are tuned for safety, the Viper makes no deliberate concessions to those unskilled enough to exploit it. Throw it into a corner too fast and a computer's not going to save you. Downshift too soon and you're going to spin. Cars haven't relied so much on the driver since the '80s. The Viper takes a significant amount of mental recalibration when you first start driving it. Like it or not, we've become used to inherent understeer and electronic baby sitters. Driving without them is enlightening, all the involvement and excitement that I didn't know I was missing suddenly return. I remember why I like fast cars.

Pulling back into the pits after my spin, I can tell I'm in trouble. All of the smiling faces of the PR people have melted away, leaving instead the engineer in charge of the Viper's development. It's his baby I've almost destroyed and he looks furious. Halfway through telling me what a jackass I am he has to stop and walk away. Still shaken, I'm unable to offer much in the way of an explanation. I'm one of the youngest guys here today and he's convinced I don't know how to drive. I guess I haven't offered much evidence to the contrary.

Luckily, one of his team, the guy in charge of its handling, is standing nearby. "Don't worry, he does that to me too." My burgundy Viper returns from the mechanic's bay, flat-spotted tires replaced. Tomorrow I have to drive it back to New York.

Part One, Part Three

Publicists responsible try to come up with something that somehow signifies the product being launched, something that represents the company's character. At the launch of Triumph's Speed Triple in France, it was an engraved Mag Lite - functional and tough like the bike. For the BMW Z4 M Roadster it was an iPod. At the launch of the 2008 Dodge Viper, it was a pair of Oakley Half Jacket XLJs, whose lenses had been engraved with a Dodge logo. As I unwrapped them in my hotel room in North Carolina, the night before my first turn at the new, 600-hp Viper, I couldn't help but be wary of what the next day would bring.

I've always been more of an Aviator kind of guy. I'd like to think I wear my mirrored Ray Bans in the classic style with a touch of irony, hopefully portraying a sense of mystery. Admittedly what I'm going for is likely lost on other people, who are at best indifferent and at worst think I look like Tom Petty. Oakley wearers don't seem to get the irony thing. Pudgy middle aged men in middle of the range suits, they seemingly want their glasses to say "I might look mild-mannered, but really, I'm Batman." Secretly they hate their lives and long for adventure and freedom. Sadly, their shatter resistant, developed-for-the-military eyewear is the closest they'll ever get.

The Viper doesn't do irony either. In an age where zero-emissions are the new 200mph, it has 600bhp and looks like a giant penis crossed with a mid-'90s Dodge Stratus. If a Prius is an educated citizen-of-the-world dining in Paris, the Viper is a deadbeat dad in flannel trying to finish a 72oz steak so he doesn't have to pay for it.

Part Two, Part Three

Dodge Announces Pricing for All-new 2008 Caliber SRT4®

* All-new 285-horsepower 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4® is priced at $22,995
* Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology (SRT)® organization continues the popular SRT legacy
* Dodge Caliber SRT4 delivers SRT mission of benchmark performance for the best price to the sport-compact market

Auburn Hills, Mich., Aug 21, 2007 -

Dodge announced pricing today for the latest addition to Chrysler's popular Street and Racing Technology (SRT)® vehicle lineup - the all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4®.

Boasting 285 horsepower, 265 lb.-ft. of torque and a 0-60 mph time in the low 6-second range, the all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 is available for $22,995, which includes $560 for destination. The 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 once again delivers the SRT mission of benchmark performance at the lowest price.

"Like all of Chrysler's SRT vehicles, the all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 delivers customers an unmatched performance/value equation," said Mike Accavitti, Director - Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing Communications, Chrysler. "With 285 horsepower, 265 lb.-ft. of tire-smoking torque, and numerous functional, race-inspired exterior and interior appointments, Dodge and SRT have once again boldly joined the sport-compact performance market in dominating fashion."

The all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 showcases the renowned, five key aspects of any SRT vehicle: exterior styling that resonates with the brand image; race-inspired interiors; world-class ride and handling characteristics across a broad range; benchmark braking; and standout powertrain. The all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 unquestionably delivers in all five areas.

Exterior styling includes an aggressive SRT stance, a front fascia with functional brake cooling ducts and a larger grille opening. The unique hood features a functional air scoop enhancing underhood cooling. A large integrated spoiler above the rear glass is tuned for smoother air flow and lift reduction. Available exterior colors are Brilliant Black, Sunburst Orange, Bright Silver and Inferno Red.

Inside, the all-new Caliber SRT4 boasts sport seating with deep, performance bolsters, an SRT race-inspired instrument design, and an optional Reconfigurable Display (RCD), with exclusive "performance pages" that provide lateral and longitudinal G-force, 1/8-mile and 1/4-mile acceleration time and speed, 0-60 mph time and braking distance.

The Dodge Caliber SRT4's suspension is lowered 28mm in the front and 22mm in the rear, contributing to the unique SRT performance ride and handling characteristics. Chassis highlights include unique performance tuning, 19-inch cast-aluminum wheels and Goodyear three- or four-season performance tires.

Benchmark braking is delivered via four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with 340 x 28mm vented front rotors and 302 x 10mm rear rotors, with twin-piston aluminum front calipers.

And finally, a whopping 285 horsepower and tire-smoking 265 lb.-ft. of torque is delivered courtesy of Chrysler's 2.4-liter DOHC I-4 Turbo World Engine. An electronically tuned Brake Lock Differential and Getrag DMT-6 six-speed transmission help put the power to the ground.

2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 Pricing:

The 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 is well-equipped and has a U.S. MSRP of $22,995 (including $560 destination).

Among the standard features included are: turbocharged 2.4-liter I-4 World engine with Dual Variable Valve Timing; Getrag DMT6 six-speed manual transmission; unique hood with functional air scoop; performance four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with vented front brake rotors; Electronic Stability Program; advanced multi-stage driver and front passenger air bags; supplemental side window curtain air bag; driver inflatable knee blocker; air conditioning with particulate and odor air filter and Chill Zone™ beverage storage cooler; illuminated cup holders; 12-volt power outlet; 115-volt auxiliary power outlet; sliding armrest with cell phone holder; performance-oriented instrumentation including a center-mounted tachometer; sport seating with aggressive bolstering and performance fabric inserts and SRT-unique 19-inch cast aluminum painted wheels.

Popular Options

* Kicker/SRT Livin' Loud audio system (late availability) $1,190
* Power-express open/close sun roof $ 795
* 19 x 7.5-inch polished aluminum SRT wheels $ 400

The all-new 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT4 is built at the Chrysler Belvidere Assembly Plant on the same assembly line with the Dodge Caliber SE, SXT and R/T models, the Jeep® Compass and Jeep Patriot.

Dodge barrage continues

With more than 1.3 million vehicles sold globally in 2006, Dodge - Chrysler's best-selling brand - continues its product offensive for the 2008 model year with the all-new Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Avenger and Dodge Caliber SRT4, and the new Dodge Viper SRT10, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Magnum and Dodge Magnum SRT8.

Dodge is the fifth largest nameplate in the U.S. automotive market. Overall, Dodge has a 7-percent market share in the U.S.

Dodge continues to lead the minivan market with a 20-percent market share in the U.S. In the highly competitive truck market, Dodge has a 16-percent market share. Dodge is also entering key European volume segments with Nitro and Caliber.

Suitability Parameters:
· Speed Merchants: Yes
· Fashion Victims: No
· Treehuggers: No
· Mack Daddies: Yes
· Tuner Crowd: Yes
· Hairdressers: No
· Penny Pinchers: No
· Euro Snobs: No
· Working Stiffs: No
· Technogeeks: No
· Poseurs: Yes
· Soccer Moms: Yes
· Nascar Dads: Yes
· Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
· Porsche Cayenne
· Land Rover Sport

Vitals:
· Manufacturer: Jeep
· Model tested: Grand Cherokee SRT8
· Model year: 2007
· Base Price: 40,105
· Price as Tested: 45,340
· Engine type: 6.1 Liter SRT Hemi V8
· Horsepower: 420 bhp @ 6200 rpm
· Torque: 420 lb.-ft. @ 4800 rpm
· Redline: 6400
· Transmission: 5-speed automatic
· Curb Weight: 4819 pounds
· LxWxH: 195.1 X 73.3 X 66.7
· Wheelbase: 109.5 inches
· Tires: Goodyear Eagle RSA (F)255/45 (R) 285/40
· Drive type: All-Wheel Drive
· 0 - 60 mph: 4.5 Seconds
· 1/4-mile: 13.5
· Fuel economy city/highway: 12/15
· NHTSA crash test rating: 5/5/5/4

[ Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, Part 1 and Part 2 ]

Acceleration: *****

Great Caesars Ghost! This monster packs a very large displacement V8 prepared for maximum output by SRT. Instant off idle torque is there on command. Sixty foot times at the dragstrip are right up there with any sixties musclecar. Jeep says 0-60 comes in under five seconds. The quarter-mile take a few tenths over 13 seconds.

Braking *****

A fat set of Brembos with antilock capability and brake assist will lock you up against the seat belt as they scrub inertia off this near 5000-pound machine. Brake city, and you're the Mayor.

Ride ***

Getting a 4,819-pound brick to handle like a slot car requires some sacrifice from the smooth ride department. Up front the ride is performance biased. Back seat travel can be a bit choppy.

Handling *****

Is this thing really an SUV? Bilstein dampers along with fat front and rear sway bars help the Jeep defy perceptions of what an SUV is supposed to do. Full time all wheel drive puts corners quickly into the past with ease.

Gearbox *****

Five-speed automatic is fronted by a slightly loose torque converter. This gives the 6.1 Liters of Hemi a few more RPM before it unleashes the power into the clutches. After that everything is a miracle of modern engineering and an amusement park ride quality demonstration of the forces of gravity.

Audio/Video ****

The test vehicle was equipped with a 6CD-MP3 changer and SIRIUS Satellite Digital Radio and Boston Acoustics Premium Sound system. AC DC never sounded better then when traffic finally cleared up on I-15 heading out of Vegas.

Value ***

Dollar for dollar the SRT8 Grand Cherokee is a performance bargain. Its nearest competitors may feature forced induction or a perceived level of refinement, but the SRT8 gets the job done for much less. Think 20K less.

Toys ***

The tester was chock-a-block with toys as part of the Customer Preferred Package 29L. Given some more time I actually could have figured out how to fully employ the nav system, Uconnect Hands Free Communication, Park Sense Park Assist, Remote Start System, and Power Adjustable Pedals! The back up cam system was tested, and it was pretty bitchen.

Trunk ****

Being an SUV the trunk was more than adequate. That being said, this thing was not designed for carrying 4X8 sheets of plywood or bags of peat moss for planting begonias.

Overall ****

In a lot of ways this thing embodies what most people really buy an SUV for. V8 power and torque along a feeling of taller superiority over lower and smaller vehicles. Sure it doesn't make any sense, but it's a whole lot of fun without the hubris of its more expensive equivalents. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 demands admiration for what it does, and it does it very well.

[Part 1]

"The bumblebee, according to our engineers' calculations, cannot fly at all, but the bumblebee does not know this and flies".

Disbelief alternating with elation are the two main emotions after just a few seconds behind the wheel of this beast. The 6.1 liters of Hemi power eventually becomes familiar, but the 420 horses and 420 pounds of torque never cease to entertain. Flooring it, I wonder why they didn't just call it Super Cherokee. This thing will out-sixty-foot any '60s or '70s muscle car, and give Porsche Cayenne displacement envy. Low 13-second quarter miles? No problem. Even so, the big boy is docile as long as one keeps his foot out of the loud pedal. Push that same foot inward, and a sweet soundtrack from the exhaust joins Atlas-rocket acceleration.

When treading only lightly at the perceived limits of this machine, straight line elation turns to disbelief. Giant Brembos at all four corners make impossible corner-entry speeds easy to modulate. Velocity adjustment is quickly followed by equally improbable readjustment and acceleration out of the apex thanks to scads of instant V8 torque and an all-wheel drive system unique to the vehicle itself. The system has been beefed to handle the massive twist the Hemi creates. I got the impression the Super Cherokee would truly shine on a high-speed road course like Willow Springs. In fact, the SRT8 comes with a track-day experience as standard equipment.

I only enjoyed a few days' driving in the Super Cherokee — which is admittedly on the high side of its product life span — but I wanted more. Given a few hours behind the wheel it's easy to forget the Super Cherokee is anything but a performance machine. A few weeks, and I may have completely forgotten I was driving an SUV. After a day or two the only way to remember you're driving a stonking 4800-and-change pound SUV is when you get out of it to tank up. Even after a few double-takes at the beast, the reality just doesn't register. It's sort of a vehicular fun-house-mirror effect. I had more than few opportunities to observe this hocus focus at work. My inner voice kept asking me if the vehicle I was looking at was in fact the same one I just took through that corner.

While driving around solo in the beast is fun, sharing the capabilities of the SRT8 Grand Cherokee is much more rewarding. Riding around in Las Vegas with some of the folks behind the production of the vehicle, I began to truly understand the effort that went into the suspension to make a large beastie such as this handle like a slot car. This is a vehicle designed to make you want to drive it like a racecar. While in Las Vegas we had the honor of riding with Diane Sox, wife of the late and great Ronnie Sox. While I was cornering up onto the interstate, she exclaimed, "this reminds me of the way Ronnie used to drive"! Mr. Four Speed evidently liked to drive off the drag strip as much as on.

SRT stands for Street and Racing Technology. The team puts their collective brain trust into otherwise ordinary rides and makes them extraordinary, and this is the kind of thing we just have to encourage. Behind the wheel of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 one ponders that perhaps the SRT crew had the same sign as Sikorsky did hanging in the development center when they hatched this beast. I don't know if the legendary sign at Sikorsky had a cartoon bee on it, but I'd like to think the sign at SRT would display a '68 Superbee as inspiration for the modern muscle infused into the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

The Dodge SRT-10 pickup may haul tons of ass off the line, but it sure is sluggish getting off the lot. A report, cited by Winding Road, indicates Dodge will discontinue the 500hp, V10-powered Ram at the end of the year, owing to sales of only 2,000 units. Dodge hasn't confirmed the report, but we think we just heard a glacier weeping with joy. [Thanks to Damon for the tip.]

Report: DCX to nix Ram SRT-10 [Winding Road]

Related:
Dodge Ram SRT-10 Least Green Vehicle [internal]

Top DCX execs to attend Pepsi 400 [Freep]

Related:
Summer Sales Fever: You Get An Employee Discount, And You Get An Employee Discount, And You...! [internal]

DODGE CALIBER SRT4 [Dodge]

Related:
First Look: Dodge Caliber SRT-4 [internal]

Something we didn't know: the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is apparently the second-quickest SRT vehicle after the Viper, eclipsing the trio of LX cars as well as the Crossfire SRT6 and the Viper-powered Ram SRT-10. The 420-horse 6.1L Hemi powers the SUV to quarter-mile times in the 13s and to 60 in under five. Since the same mill powers the LX SRT8 models, we're assuming the Jeep's got a serious final-drive ratio to overcome the weight and aerodynamic differential. The price? Five bucks under $40k, which isn't bad for an SUV that'll take a Cayenne Turbo in a drag race.

Jeep Announces Pricing for All-New 2006 Grand Cherokee SRT8 [Dubspeed]

Related:
Tony Hawk's Jeep Commander [Internal]

Last season, Slammin' Sam Hubinette drove a Viper SRT-10 after his ride for the prior season, a Competition Coupe, was outlawed from competition. Now the loonies at Mopar have cooked up a Charger drifter, which, given Pontiac's success with the GTO and the beginning of a serious effort from the Ford camp, completely makes sense if we're going by the "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" maxim that's ruled manufacturer participation in motorsports since the days of Renault and Duryea.

Related:
A Few Words With the Crazy Swede: Samuel Hubinette on Drifting [Internal]

The Car Connection speculates on a new, V8-powered Dodge Nitro. Apparently, according to sources, the SRT-tuned version of Dodge's new small SUV — kin to the Jeep Liberty — is on the same development schedule as the base model. The question is, will it have some kind of upclocked version of the 3.7-liter V6, or will a Hemi be shoehorned into the lil' rocker's engine bay? Time, or more deeply embedded spies, will tell.

Spy Shots: 07 Dodge Nitro SRT [The Car Connection]

Related:
Spy Photos: 2007 Dodge Nitro [internal]

Here's to not pulling any punches. The 2006 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe, which returns after four years and a subtle but effective redesign that matches that of the current roadster, will be priced at $83,995 (a $12,000 increase over the 2002 model), including an $850 destination charge. Chrysler is touting its return to the coupe's "double-bubble" roof design, those contours that once indicated more space for drivers' helmets, but now indicate fat-headed pretense (ok, they still look cool). The coupe gets the latest SRT-tuned 505ci V10, which produces 500hp and 525 ft/lbs of torque, as well as the racing stripes that still remind us of when Carroll Shelby abandoned Ford for Chrysler back in the 1980s, and pitched in for the Viper's original marketing, before he returned to the land of GT-500s and free beer. Good times.

Related:
ep-Sibling Rivalry: Euro Dodge SRT-10 vs. Mercedes SL55; Dodge's New, Limited-Edition SRT Models [internal]