Question of the Week: What is the Best Overall SRT Product for the Money?

When you ask pretty much anyone who is familiar with the SRT lineup which vehicle in the best, it is a good bet that most people would quickly bring up the mighty Viper.  However, if we take that question a bit further and look at the overall functionality along with the price of each current Street and Racing Technology vehicle – things get a bit more complex.  Based on that, we want to know which SRT model our members think is the best vehicle for the money with all things considered.

The Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger SRT variants are pretty much identical in terms of performance capabilities but the Charger offers a lower price while the 300 offers a more luxurious feel.  The Challenger offers the power of the SRT sedans with slightly less rear seating space (but still more than the competition) while also being the only SRT vehicle other than the Viper to offer a manual transmission.  The Challenger is also the least expensive option in the SRT lineup.  The SRT Jeep can be driven and driven hard in rain or shine, summer or winter and it will do so while towing up to 7,200 pounds.  The Viper is the most expensive vehicle in the SRT lineup and has the least functionality but it is the most powerful naturally aspirated car in the industry today.  Below are the basic specs of each SRT vehicle.  Click here to head into the forum to vote for your favorite!

2014 Chrysler 300C SRT

-Premium luxury sport look on the outside, premium luxury interior
-Room for four adults
-470 horsepower and 470lb-ft of torque
– 5-Speed Automatic Transmission
-Dual mode suspension
-MSRP starting at $45,900

2014 Dodge Charger SRT

-Muscular SRT design applied to an aggressive sporty sedan
-Room for four adults
-470 horsepower and 470lb-ft of torque
– 5-Speed Automatic Transmission
-Dual mode suspension
– MSRP starting at $44,385

2014 Dodge Challenger SRT

-Classic muscle car coupe design
-The most rear seating room in the muscle car segment
-470 horsepower and 470lb-ft of torque
-6-speed Manual or 5-speed Automatic Transmission
-Dual mode suspension
– MSRP starting at $40,485

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

-Sleek, super aggressive SUV styling
-Room for four adults and lots of cargo space
-470 horsepower and 465lb-ft of torque
– 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
-Multiple drive modes
-Advanced adjustable all wheel drive
-Adjustable suspension
– 7,200 pound towing capacity
– MSRP starting at $63,660

2014 SRT Viper

-It’s the Viper
-Room for two with quite a bit of trunk space
-640 horsepower and 600lb-ft of torque
-6-speed manual transmission
-Multiple drive modes
-Dual mode suspension
-MSRP starting at $102,485

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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