You don't NEED this truck.

But anyone whose blood flow includes a bit of high octane and gets a chance to drive the Dodge Ram SRT-10 may WANT this truck, now listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Fastest Production Pickup Truck."

That is because every SRT-10 has an 8.3-liter Viper V-10 with 500 horsepower -- IN A TRUCK!

Some people who saw this bulging, muscular truck called it overkill, while others called it a hot rod. I likened it to a modern throwback to the days of the 1960s muscle cars, with big-block engines, roomy cabins, some trunk space and the ability to burn rubber all day. And that's what the Ram SRT-10 has in abundance, along with anti-lock brakes, comfortable bucket seats, a great stereo and the ability to handle right well for a truck. Plus who's going to get in your lane when you are driving a Ram truck?

The Ram SRT-10 the third Dodge vehicle with the Street and Racing Technology label, following the first- and second-generation Dodge Viper SRT-10 and the 230-hp Dodge Neon SRT-4. So what did they do to make a base Dodge Ram truck a Viper?

The big red-headed engine fits the engine well, with a tall hood scoop and power bulge on top of the already domed hood. The huge crosshair grille gets a billet steel-look grille, as well as a more angular front bumper with lower mesh air intake, inset fog lamps and a lower air dam/splitter like the NASCAR race trucks.

A one-inch lower ride height in the front, two-inch lower ride height in the rear and ground-effect moldings provide plenty of "hunkered down" attitude. The flared fenders house HUGE 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion radials, the biggest rubber on a production truck, with polished 10-spoke aluminum Viper-style wheels.

The rear bumper gets a sculpted look, while the curvaceous rear wing provides a claimed 165-pound reduction in lift, and reduction in drag. It can be removed to take it off to carry bigger stuff in the standard bed, and stowed atop of the bed rails behind the cab. But Dodge says the truck's performance drivetrain limits its hauling ability to about 800 pounds, and no towing.

Lots of people asked if it was a Hemi, only to smile, grin or grunt in amazement when I told them it had the Viper V-10 under the hood. Drivers in sports cars gave it a few glances, while Dodge Ram owners nodded or smiled. One pair of guys in a standard V-8 Ram in the same silver as ours gave it a thumbs-up and V for victory signs, and received a downshift and a rumbling pass as a reward.

Step UP into the cabin, a climb our 9-year-old said he wished included a running board, and the driver and passenger sit into heavily bolstered racing-style leather seats with perforated suede inserts, the driver's getting eight-way power seat bottom adjustments and manual seat recline feature for great fit while driving hard. We loved the fold-forward seat backs that access rubber-matted storage areas big enough for a briefcase or soft overnight bag, although some of the space is taken up by a huge Infinity bass speaker. The Viper Ram also keeps the huge center arm rest that hides a 12-volt power outlet and a segmented cargo area for books, lap tops, etc. Fold it up, and you can safely hook in a baby seat or small child with the seat restraints and three-point belt.

The gray plastic truck interior gets some dashes of aluminum trim on the doors and dash, plus a gauge cluster with satin silver-faced gauges -- 160-mph speedometer, 7,000-rpm tachometer, plus gas, temperature, voltage and oil pressure gauges with Viper font and graphics.

The four-spoke steering wheel has a carbon fiber-look leather trim, while SRT-10 logos are embroidered on the headrests. A red Viper start button sits on the dash next to a dual-zone a/c system, while the Infinity AM-FM-six-disc CD system sounded great. A tall Hurst shift lever sprouts from a silver metal shift bezel on the floor console, with room for two cups and other stuff. It's topped by a huge leather-clad Viper shift knob, while rubbed-studded aluminum pedals are there for the driver's feet. The glove box and map pockets are adequate, while two 12-volt power outlets and a fold-out cellular telephone/sunglass holder were appreciated, as was the sliding rear window so we could hear the engine bellow.

The Viper V-10 delivers 500 hp and 525 pound-foot of torque, vs. the base Ram's 5.9-liter, 245-hp V-8. The cast aluminum cylinder block has cast-iron liners and cross-bolted main caps, a unique oil pan, throttle linkage and "Hi-Flow" exhaust manifolds. The rest of the V-10 is straight from the Viper, delivering 90 percent of its torque from 1,500 to 5,600 rpm. A custom dual exhaust system is mounted to new exhaust manifolds. The purpose-built Hurst six-speed shifter sits atop a modified Viper Tremec T56 manual transmission, while a 4.5-inch aluminium driveshaft puts the power to a Dana 60 rear axle with a 4.11 ratio.

The record-breaking truck with no modifications posted a two-lap, both-directions average of 154.587 mph at the DaimlerChrysler Proving Grounds with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winner Brendan Gaughan at the helm. The previous record was 147.54 mph, set last July by the supercharged 380-hp Ford SVT F-150 Lightning.

Our 5,000-mile-old test truck's best 0-60-mph run was 4.6 seconds flat in second, needing some care to rein in burnouts. The six-speed manual was direct if a bit long throw and notchy, with some hesitation going from second to third. The clutch pedal was so heavily sprung it got to be a bit annoying to hold in stop and go traffic. But we loved the fact that you can pass anything even in fifth or sixth gear. But we paid more than to fill up the tank after recording dismal gas mileage of 9 mpg, although we saw as high as 14 mpg on the highway according to the trip computer.

The Bilstein mono-tube shock absorbers, plus a new front knuckle design and shorter and stiffer performance-tuned springs. The result was a superb handling BIG truck, with controlled body roll and great road holding thanks to the big Pirelli footprint when hustled around our test track. Tossed into a turn, you get understeer like any truck, but can power up a tad and keep it neutral, or just power slide the tail out. It's catchable in the dry, but it takes a while to get used to tossing a 5,000-plus-pound truck around. Those big 22-inch tires slapped any tar strip or expansion strip audibly, the ride too choppy on anything but smooth roads, the rear end jumping over bumps and manhole covers. The standard ABS-equipped brakes get new 15-inch rotors up front and modified Ram Heavy Duty 14-inch rotors in back with Viper-red calipers, resulting is solid stops with no fade or , time after time.

The base price of a V-8-powered Dodge Ram regular cab truck is about ,000. Our Ram SRT-10 option package is a whopping ,675, including the Viper V-10, power driver's seat, eight-speaker/six-disc-AM-FM Infinity stereo with steering wheel controls, alarm, remote keyless entry, sliding rear glass window, dual-zone climate control, power-adjustable pedals, overhead console with trip computer, satin silver interior accents, power bulge hood and other cosmetic additions, and leather and suede seats. Add it all up with a destination fee, and the manufacturer's suggested retail price is ,795.

Bottom line -- the Dodge Ram SRT-10 is a big toy for someone who wants power and attitude, or just needs more room than a Viper roadster can give. It weighs (5,150 pounds vs. 3,380) a lot more than a Viper, but accelerates as well, while handling is better than any truck around, but still a truck. The suspension is too harsh for some who rode in it, and we were dismayed that it can't haul more than 800 pounds of stuff. But if you want a modern hot rod, this is the trick, or truck. Plus, it's fun until the gas credit card bills come in.