Auto Driven: Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep range

Chrysler PT Crusier 2.2 CRD - £17,225
The maverick, hot-roddish looks of the PT Cruiser were a real head-turner when it hit the shores of Blighty in 2000. It’s still a bit of an oddity among the more conventional looking cars in the UK today, but it’s not the most entertaining drive. As an MPV it offers an excellent alternative to the more conservative looking Merivas and Scenics in its sector. The combined fuel economy of 47.2mpg isn’t bad either.

Chrysler 300C 3.0 CRD Auto - £26,250
This executive saloon is a joy to drive. Smooth, refined, quiet and quick, the 300C has a top speed of 143mph but still manages an average of 34.9mpg. Despite being over 5 metres long and weighing more than 2.3 tonnes, the CRD still accelerates from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds. The 18-inch alloys and almost endless spec including Electronic Stability Control, parking sensors, heated leather seats and dual-zone temperature control makes the 300C amazing value.

Chrysler Crossfire Roadster 3.2 SRT-6 - £35,385
SRT (Street Racing Technology) is Chrysler’s term for performance. The 3.2-litre V6 convertible is a more expensive and more head-turning alternative the Audi TT Quattro. With 330bhp, the Crossfire hits 62mph in 5.3 seconds and has a top speed of 155mph. The five-speed automatic gearbox is great when it ‘kicks down’ but it would be better if there was a manual option.

Chrysler 300C SRT-8 saloon - £39,750
Like with other SRTs, Chrysler has taken a normal car and injected it with steroids, or in the 300C’s case, a 6.1-litre, 425bhp V8. This ferociously quick saloon launches itself from 0-62mph in just 5 seconds and has a top speed of 168mph. You don’t realise when you’ve hit three figures because it’s so smooth and quiet. The 300C SRT-8 is a genuine rival to BMW’s dominant M5 and is £20,000 cheaper.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 6.1 SRT-8 - £41,190
Whispering the words ‘Jeep Cherokee’ and ‘0-62mph in 5 seconds’ in the same sentence would have put you in a straight-jacket until details of the SRT-8 were announced earlier this year.  It’s frighteningly quick, and incredibly quiet. The 420bhp V8 means a top speed of 152mph, but it’s not designed to be taken off road, so what’s really the point of it? It’s great fun though and handles like a car half its size.

Dodge Ram SRT-10 Quad Cab - £44,653
This remarkable monster can put the fear of god into the gutsiest of people. It’s one of the most un-politically correct cars you’ll see on the road. It’s six metres long, 2 metres high, weighs 3 tonnes and still hits 62mph in under 5.5 seconds. The Brontosaurus of all pick-ups is powered by an 8.3-litre V10, which punches out 500bhp and 525 lb/ft of pulling power, enabling a top speed of 168mph – making it the world’s fastest production pick-up. Safety wise it’s limited, featuring just ABS and driver and passenger airbags. Only 10 of the left-hand drive beasts are imported into the UK each year, so they’re a rare sight. But it’s the size of a small dwelling with combined fuel economy of 15.7mpg and high carbon dioxide emissions so don’t expect exemption from the congestion charge.

Dodge 8.3 SRT-10 - £69,990
Take the engine from the Ram and put it in a two-door sports car that weighs half as much. The result is a 190mph rocket which hits 62mph in a Ferrari F430 beating 3.9 seconds. With no traction control, the SRT-10 – or Viper as it used to be known – is one of the most un-sedated cars on the road. There aren’t many things more fun or scarier than hurtling round a wet track with 500 Detroit horses trying their hardest to spin the car and with nothing but your driving ability keeping you on the road. It’s loud and with side exhausts which can scold your leg when getting out if you’re not careful. Sitting in the cramped interior with the huge bonnet in front of you says one thing: this machine is NOT for the feint-hearted.

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