The 702-horsepower Ram 1500 TRX is Ram's blisteringly quick answer to the Ford F-150 Raptor
Tim Levin
- Ram just unveiled the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, a ridiculously powerful off-road pickup that the company hopes will take it to the Ford Raptor.
- The TRX sports a 6.2-liter, supercharged V8 that puts out a wholly unnecessary 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.
- According to Ram, it can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, which is blisteringly quick for a hulking, gas-powered truck.
- The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX will start at $69,995, while the 702-unit launch edition is priced at $90,315.
For years, Ram's had the idea for a Ford Raptor-beating, desert-thrashing, high-performance pickup in the works — and now it's finally arrived.
On Monday, the company unveiled the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, a completely over-the-top truck with 702 horsepower, 650 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds. You read that right — Ram says this massive pickup will sprint to 60 mph as quickly as some purpose-built sports cars. All that oomph comes from the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 Ram stuffed under the hood, courtesy of the Dodge Hellcat engine.
But make no mistake: Ram did a lot more than just Hellcat-ify a run-of-the-mill 1500 pickup. The company transformed the truck into a desert-ready beast by building a stronger frame, revamping its suspension, giving it a wider stance, and lifting it by two inches.
Keep scrolling to learn more about the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX.
Ram just dropped its long-awaited competitor to the Ford Raptor, calling the pickup the "quickest, fastest, and most powerful mass-produced truck in the world."
To build the truck — dubbed the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX — Ram took its 1500 pickup and crammed in a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 that it says is good for 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.
That combination sends the full-size pickup from 0 to 60 mph in a ludicrous 4.5 seconds, the company said.
The TRX hits 100 mph in a frightening 10.5 seconds and smashes the quarter mile in just 12.9.
The all-around-absurd truck also is capable of a top speed of 118 mph, Ram says.
The TRX's hood scoop is actually functional and accounts for roughly half the air fed to the truck's monstrous engine.
The Ram badge up front is also hollowed out to help with airflow.
But the company didn't just plop a 702-horsepower engine into the 1500 and call it a day. Ram gave the 1500 numerous upgrades to make it a better performer in harsh, off-road conditions.
For starters, the TRX sits on a new frame made from high-strength steel ...
... and is eight inches wider than the standard 1500.
It rides on an overhauled suspension ...
... that allows for 13 inches of wheel travel at all four corners, a 40% increase over other 1500 models.
The TRX rides two inches higher than than 1500, giving it 11.8 inches of ground clearance.
It can also ford up to 32 inches of water ...
... and comes with knobby, 35-inch tires.
Built for high-speed off-roading, the TRX sports a "Baja" mode that calibrates four-wheel-drive and steering systems, suspension, and stability control for "ultimate desert performance."
Let's face it, most TRX buyers — like most Raptor owners — are not going to tear across the desert at high speeds.
But the TRX can be practical, too, offering a 1,310-pound payload capacity and 8,100-pound towing capacity.
Inside, the TRX gets plenty of bells and whistles like a heads-up display, a 12-inch touchscreen, and a wireless charging dock.
Plus, there's an option for a leather and suede interior with carbon-fiber and red trim.
The Ram 1500 TRX starts at $69,995, while the 702-unit launch edition comes in at $90,315.
We'll have to wait and see whether the TRX proves to be the Raptor-crushing "apex predator" Ram hopes it will be.
READ MORE ARTICLES ON
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement