Inside, there’s little sign of the hardcore exterior that it looks so born out of, save for the carbon-fibre trim elements. The perforated leather seats, spacious cabin, further enhanced by the panoramic glass-roof and large side-windows, all make it easy to sink into and rather difficult to want to leave. The Uconnect interface has a large touchscreen centre console and, unlike its diesel counterpart, the SRT gets different drive modes and a ‘Launch’ button instead of ‘4WD Low’. This one is as capable on track as it is off the road. The electronic limited-slip differential can handle the torque well and splits it just right to make this four-wheeled dragon take it all in its stride.
That’s where its beauty lies. With all the modern-day electronic aids on offer, you can feel like a dragon warrior even if you happen to be a big, fat panda. The 6.4-litre HEMI engine, which has eight times the displacement and nearly 10 times the power of the average entry-level hatchback, is a monster in its own right. The HEMI name points to the hemispherical head for the engine: essentially a scooped-out combustion chamber that houses, at best, two very large valves. Not just large, but also quite heavy, necessitating a longer stroke and an optimised cross-flow design as the intake and exhaust valves are almost confronting each other.
This HEMI is the largest one in production: a 6,417-cc V8 with 16 spark-plugs, 16 valves, two camshafts, and significant output figures. The naturally-aspirated petrol engine makes 475 PS and 624 Nm, revving up to 6,400 RPM. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends the power to a beefed-up transfer case that delivers drive to both axles. Of course, this being 2016, the MDS (Multiple Displacement System) is standard, shutting down two cylinders per bank to save fuel, seamlessly turning it into a 3.2-litre V4 when its full potential isn’t needed.
