Dodge Challenger scores a perfect 10

It's not as though the new Dodge Challenger was undernourished in the first place, but the Chrysler Group plans to use next month's SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas to showcase a completely OTT version powered by the Viper's V10 engine.

Dodge says it couldn't resist the opportunity to "one-up" itself with the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept, which is bound to prompt much rubbernecking in Vegas.

Speaking of rubber, there's not likely to be much left on the rims after a few outings in the black-and-orange weapon as under the twin-nostrilled bonnet lurks 8.4 litres worth of all-alloy whoop-ass.

The big V10 cranks out 447kW and 759Nm, and these outputs put it in the same ballpark as the stonking new Corvette ZR1 (476kW and 818N), which eclipsed even the brutal Nissan GT-R's 7min 29sec lap of the Nurburgring Nordschleife (more here).

Dodge claims the show car "delivers the well-known SRT (Street and Racing Technology) credo of benchmark performance."

Will it make it to production though? Given the dire economic predicament of the US and its car industry, you'd think not, but you never know.

Nevertheless, SEMA show-goers will no doubt be more than happy to bask in the Challenger SRT10's Tornado Red paint and lashings of carbonfibre.

The 'shaker hood' is intended as "a nostalgic representation of the 1970 HEMI Cuda", but fans of the 1970s 'Hoey (Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase III) will no doubt warm to it as well.

The SRT10's engine transplant is complemented by beefed-up brakes and Bilstein shocks, while the interior scores sports seats and more carbonfibre trim.

True to the Viper-powered vehicle lineage, the beast is coaxed into raucous ignition via a red engine start push-button in the dash.

Dodge hasn't released any official performance figures, but we're guessing a sub-five-second 0-100km/h dash should be well within its capabilities.

Alas, even lesser Dodge Challengers are not bound for our shores as the vehicle is a US-only, left-hand-drive proposition. Chrysler Australia had hoped to position the new Challenger coupe as its halo car, and there was even talk a couple of years ago of calling it the Charger locally to tap into the nostalgia associated with the Valiant-based coupe that wore the nameplate here in the 1970s.

Unfortunately, the low-volume production run of the Challenger means the business case for offering it outside the US simply doesn't add up.

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