4,465 Actual Mile Ram SRT-10 Viper V10 500 HP 6 Speed

Does your Viper just not have enough trunk space? Need something that can haul lumber at 150 MPH? Is your current truck just too sloppy on the corners? Or are you simply looking for something Viper-powered to tow your Viper to the track?

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, here’s the solution: this 2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10. With a Viper V10, a 6-speed manual transmission and a performance suspension, this Ram is the pinnacle of performance truck evolution and flat-out the fastest full-sized pickup truck ever built. Now out of production, you will spend a long, long time looking for a cleaner, lower-mileage SRT-10 than this.

If you’re one of those people who wonder why a pickup truck needs 500 horsepower, this probably isn’t for you. If, on the other hand, you’re one of those lunatics who think that 500 horsepower in a flying brick is just your kind of insanity, then by all means, please read on. The Ram SRT-10 is true to the performance ideals that created the original Dodge Viper: keep it simple and make it fast.

This particular SRT-10 has only 4465 miles from new, and is in virtually unmarked condition throughout. The Inferno Red Crystal Pearlcoat paint is beautifully maintained and looks spectacular on the Ram’s muscular flanks. Packed into the short wheelbase, short bed, regular cab body, the truck is much bigger than it appears in photos, and the body modifications only enhance an already dramatic profile. Additions to the SRT-10 include a redesigned front bumper with integral fog lights, an aggressive hood with hood scoop, and side cladding that visually lowers the truck over those large-by-huge alloy wheels. A weather-tight rigid tonneau cover with wing is part of the package on this truck, truly making it a Viper with a trunk. The factory-applied paint is excellent and the guys on the assembly line probably knew they were building something special every time one of these rolled past. Panel gaps are factory-sharp and this truck has never been in an accident or had any repairs. If you missed your chance to buy one when they were new, here’s a second opportunity.

There’s no chrome or other brightwork on this big, red Ram, either. The grille has been dipped in the same Inferno Red paint as the body, and the bumpers are painted to match too. Glass is excellent all around, and the massive headlight assemblies are clear and scratch-free. All the requisite SRT-10 badges still cover the exterior, and “Viper Powered” badges live on the massive hood scoop (which is more cosmetic than functional, but when you have 500 horsepower, nobody’s going to argue).

No disappointments in the horsepower department, either. With 505 cubic inches, 500 horsepower and 525 pounds of torque, the Viper V10 is so powerful, it launches this 5200-pound truck like the catapult on the USS Abraham Lincoln hurls fighter jets. And even as massive as the engine is, it’s buried in the cavernous engine bay of the Ram, with the bright red Viper-logo valve covers acting as signal beacons. Of course, on a truck like this, the engine bay is 100% factory original throughout, correct down to the smallest details. The oil has been changed, the battery replaced, and other maintenance items have been performed according to the factory schedule, but otherwise, it is completely unmolested. Even the fiber insulation around the battery is intact and in perfect condition. The aluminum on the big intake manifold is unmarked and doesn’t even show a greasy fingerprint on its surface. It keys up instantly and settles into a boisterous idle, with no intention of hiding its Viper origins—but then again, you don’t buy this giant red truck with the intention of sneaking around unnoticed.

The Viper’s 6-speed manual lives behind the V10, and provides mind-boggling acceleration. Despite the 4:56 gears in the Dana 60 out back, first gear is good for 50 MPH, and second gear will get you a speeding ticket anywhere in the continental US. The drive shaft is a gigantic 4-inch aluminum piece big enough to serve as a water main. Those bright red brake calipers squeeze fifteen-inch front and fourteen-inch rear rotors, giving this truck enough stopping power to peel the paint off the hood if you stop too quickly. The biggest problem Ram engineers faced when they put this monster together was how to keep the rear tires from vaporizing themselves every time you even thought about pressing the accelerator. The suspension has been heavily tweaked and modified from the standard Ram. For starters, it has been lowered one inch in the front and two and a half inches at the rear, and stiffer springs and Bilstein shocks are used all around. The rear suspension also includes a horizontal damper that links the differential to the frame in an attempt to control movement and axle hop. Traction is assisted by a limited slip inside the pumpkin and those gigantic 305/40/22 Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires on the truck world’s largest production wheels, a set of cool 22-inchers compliments of Speedline. Apparently the Dodge engineers know what they’re doing—this truck’s agility seems to defy the laws of physics, and it’s astounding that something so massive could also be so agile and quick.

At first glance, the interior is standard-issue truck: acres of slate gray accented by rotary controls that are familiar to any Ram owner. Then you notice the sport seats, the oil temperature gauge set into the front pillar, the Hurst shifter and the white-on-black dials with 160 MPH available the speedometer. The starter button is, obviously, the main event. "Engine start" hooks you up to an 8.3-liter V10. SRT-10 logos have been emblazoned on the headrests, door panels and just about anywhere else designers thought they could get away with it—just in case you forgot what you were driving. A special tag front and center on the dashboard tells you that this is a special production truck, “born” on 1/16/06 at 7AM. A modified Hurst shifter feels right in your hand, and is appropriately beefy for such a big rig. This truck is also loaded with options, including the rear window defroster and AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with navigation. Everything inside is in new condition, and there’s very little evidence of wear, which is appropriate given the trucks extremely low mileage figure.

And speaking of mileage, we have the original window sticker for the truck. And I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a modern window sticker showing fuel economy in the single digits, which most fans of the truck wear as a badge of honor. Launching 5200 pounds to 60 MPH in 5 seconds is gonna cost you—but once you do it, you’ll know it’s worth every penny. We also have all the original booklets and owner’s manuals, warranty guides, maintenance schedules and the navigation system CD, plus the pouch that it comes in. As I said, this is as close to a new SRT-10 as you’re going to find today.

This is the exact vehicle you get to make the jokes with your friends about how much ass it can haul. The lined bed is fully functional, so you can actually use it as a truck, yet the performance is mind-altering at so many levels. It’s fast, not just for a truck, but for any vehicle—it’s faster than last year’s V8 Mustang. But then you realize how big it is and you start to wonder if gravity and inertia were somehow suspended just for this one vehicle. There’s no doubt in my mind that these will remain highly-sought collectibles, especially in the future when regulations pretty much prohibit the construction of such outrageous machinery. This may be your last chance to get a virtually new Ram SRT-10. Don’t miss it and call today!