2005 DODGE RAM SRT-10 NEW CAR BUYER'S GUIDE

What's New for the 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10?
Dodge is quick to remedy what Ford never did with the SVT F-150 Lightning this year: it's adding a crew-cab version of the 2005 Ram SRT-10 for families who want to have fun. The Dodge Ram SRT-10 Quad Cab is offered only with an automatic transmission, but can haul more than its regular-cab counterpart – towing capacity is 7,500 pounds. To help accommodate real pickup duties, the Quad Cab gets a special transmission cooler, a heavy-duty torque converter, unique suspension assemblies, and all-season tires. Dodge hasn't ignored the original Ram SRT-10: it gets a 4.56 rear axle ratio to improve launch feel and off-the-line performance. As if it needed it.

Advantages of the 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10:

• Tire shredding power and torque
• Menacing styling cues
• Real-world, albeit diminished, payload capacity
• Quad Cab availability
• Quad Cab can tow up to 7,500 pounds

Objections to the 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10:

• Terrible fuel economy when used to potential
• Towing is not recommended with regular cab model
• No automatic transmission on regular cab model
• No manual transmission on crew cab model
• Base price is more than $45,000

Editor's Advice:
The 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 is what the Chevrolet SSR should have been all along. Both are weekend enthusiast machines with limited cargo and towing capacities. Both make strong styling statements and serve as halo vehicles for their respective brands. Both will trade for between $40,000 and $50,000. But only one frightens small children as it rumph-rumph-rumph's down the street. If the Dodge Ram SRT-10 has you salivating, noting that it gets lousy fuel economy is laughable. Until the 2006 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning enters the race, the Ram SRT-10 is the Governator of Truckville.