Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is seemingly determined to cram its Hellcat engine into everything under the sun – and this, the new Ram 1500 TRX, is the latest addition to its supercharged line-up.
Yes, this fifth-generation Ram pickup features the same 6.2-litre supercharged V8 that you’ll find in cars such as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
In the new Ram 1500 TRX, the familiar force-fed V8 puts out an intoxicating 702bhp at 6100rpm and 650lb ft at 4800rpm. It’s easy to get blasé about power these days but, to put things in perspective, a McLaren 720S packs 710bhp and 568lb ft. The Ram, then, clearly has some serious performance credentials – a fact ably demonstrated by its 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds.
Keep the loud pedal pinned for another six seconds and, just like that, the 100mph mark will flash by. Impressively, the pickup will also dispatch the standing quarter in just 12.9 seconds at 108mph. Yes, this is a turn-key warranted truck that’ll run 12-second quarters.
Such times should prove easily repeated, too, as gear-shifting duties are handled by a heavy-duty Torqueflite eight-speed automatic transmission. Power is sent to all four wheels, so there should be enough traction on hand, and the rear axle benefits from an electronic locking rear differential and axle-hop dampers to further help put the Hellcat’s almighty output down.
However, the Ram 1500 TRX isn’t just a conventional pickup that’s been stuffed with a mighty motor. It benefits from a whole slew of upgrades, ranging from a new high-strength chassis through to a bespoke independent front suspension set-up with forged control arms and Bilstein dampers with remote reservoirs.
Bolstering its capabilities further are 15-inch disc brakes all round, clamped by two-piston monoblock calipers at the front and single-piston calipers at the rear. Ram hasn't overlooked rough-road requirements, either; the TRX has five skid plates, a four-wheel-drive system with a heavy-duty transfer case and low-range crawler ratio, almost 30cm of ground clearance and bespoke off-road driving modes.
At each corner, you’ll also find whopping Goodyear Wrangler Territory 325/65 R18 tyres on beadlock-capable 18-inch wheels. There’s the usual array of obligatory cosmetic and interior upgrades, too, including a functional bonnet scoop, composite flared wings and more upmarket cabin trims.
It’s less practical than a conventional Ram 1500, predictably, with a payload capacity of some 600kg and a maximum trailer towing rating of almost 3700kg. A Ram 1500 Classic with a naturally aspirated 5.7-litre V8, for comparison, can carry just over 800kg and pull a trailer weighing some 4800kg – but it certainly won't offer any supercharger-induced smiles while doing so. There’s also no word on fuel economy yet, either, but you can expect the nigh on three-tonne TRX pickup to burn through unleaded at a ferocious rate.
The TRX starts at $70,095 – that’s around £53,000 –and is only offered in crew cab 4×4 form. There are quite a few options, though, including the $12,150 equipment-laden TRX Launch Edition upgrade, adaptive cruise control, a carbon fibre package and a bed-mounted tyre carrier. Ford’s high-performance F-150 Raptor starts at a lesser $53,455 in the United States, but that’s also a far less powerful pickup.
If you were based in the UK and wanted to import a TRX, some back-of-napkin maths suggests that it would cost you in the region of £75,000 landed and registered. That’s a lot more than, say, a UK-market diesel V6 Volkswagen Amarok – which can cost upwards of £50,000 in a high specification – but the TRX offers performance and off-road capabilities far beyond all the mainstream UK offerings. As a result, if it appeals, you may find that it easily justifies its premium.
Keyword: A pickup with punch: 702bhp Ram 1500 TRX unveiled