the ram 1500 trx is a hellcat-powered truck

This is the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX

Jeff Glucker

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The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is a Hellcat-powered pickup truck with its sights clearly set on taking down the Ford Raptor. And it’s coming out of the gate swinging. It’s probably sliding too considering the engine under the hood is a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 cranking out a massive 702 horsepower. This old truck has many new tricks and Ford fans should take notice.

I created the above video for Autotrader, but it works here too.

The basics of it all are that Ram has been talking about the TRX for some time now. There have been rumors and concepts and now it’s really real. And Ram hasn’t cut any corners to bring it to life. You already know about the hefty Hellcat power, but perhaps more important is the running gear under the skin. Ram worked with Bilstein for a bespoke suspension setup that is up to the task of dune running mayhem. The Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive shocks are continuously adjusting to suit the riding conditions, both on-road and when airborne. And, unlike the Raptor, the Ram TRX ditches leaf springs and uses a multi-link setup out back. The rear axle is still a solid Dana 60, so there’s proper beef in the back.

Ram says the TRX will ford up to 32 inches of water and has 11.8 inches of ground clearance. The rear end boasts 13 inches of suspension travel. And the pig of a truck will run from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. And all of this powerful, screaming glory will not be cheap. The base price of a 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is $71,690. That’s over $13,000 more than the Raptor, but the TRX 1500 also makes 252 more horsepower than the already entertaining 450-horsepower Raptor.

Does the world need this truck? Absolutely not. Am I excited to fling it towards a dusty horizon with reckless abandon while crushing a can of Rockstar energy drink? No question about it. This thing is Full Send… with a factory warranty.

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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13 responses to “This is the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX”

  1. Wayne Moyer Avatar
    Wayne Moyer

    In a world of hybrids and electrics there will always be some remnant of Chrysler playing this game. Selling a handful of these vehicles and now believing that their halo vehicles can save the company. The Mopar Vunder Vehicles. While they limp along on a handful of ancient platforms and get tossed around like a hot potato among corporations all in the name of “Jeep”.
    Honestly when was the last time you thought of a Chrysler product that was in the reach of a normal consumer and it made you want to visit the dealership? They don’t sell a competitor to the Colorado/Tacoma/Frontier/Ranger. It’s full size Ram or nothing. All things being equal you can get a base one on this side of modern day affordable. Of course it gets horrid gas mileage and Chrysler reliability.
    Do any of their SUV’s sell as well as the old Jeep’s? It sure as heck doesn’t seem it after Fiat Italined the front of the Grand Cherokee and killed its look. It hasn’t really recovered. Can you even name the rest of their lineup without looking it up?
    Their cars and vans are all throwaways that are either leftovers from oversears or something ancient from here. When the best thing from them is a twelve year old van that we are actually mourning the loss of its production. That’s a bad sign. It had a cheap price and yes a really stout motor. It’s replacement used a name from a failed vehicle and wasn’t that good. It had so much plastic in it. It just didn’t match what the foreign companies could do.
    I’m just bitter because it just seems that since the Cerebus days there hasn’t been an actual effort to create a third of the big three anymore. Just a specialist company that looks like the automotive equivalent of Harley Davidson. Bigger, louder, with more bling and louder exhausts and this truck is part of that.

    Reply
    1. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      Honestly when was the last time you thought of a Chrysler Ferrari product that was in the reach of a normal consumer and it made you want to visit the dealership?

      Ferrari happens to be the most profitable manufacturer, even though in the grand scheme of things, they don’t sell an enormous volume of cars. A company can survive (and thrive) by selling nothing but halos.

      Reply
      1. Wayne Moyer Avatar
        Wayne Moyer

        Chrysler is taking their mass market cars and turning them into halos. Ferrari has specialty cars not mass market but more sells on a name and a history. Chrysler can’t rely on that. They are banking on the sixties and big power. Their name doesn’t have any weight.
        How many times can you get a person to buy a 700 horsepower vehicle selling to their id and ego when you are going to sell a 725hp version next year? Okay Ferrari and the supercar crew do this but those owners send their cars to auction constantly. Chrysler is expecting Joe Slightly Above Average to put a huge loan on that vehicle. Now it isn’t the latest and greatest within twelve months with the previous car likely sitting on the lot next to it.
        Actually Ferrari is in a dangerous place right now. They haven’t really adapted right now either. Catering to their very wealthy customers who have been buying their cars for decades. We haven’t seen too many hybrids or SUV’s out of them yet.
        Oh and Chrysler needs volume. Think of all the debt they are carrying from all these mergers and all the past union employees.
        I mean I agree with what you are saying but going from megacorp to specialty manufacturer can only happen without debt.

        Reply
        1. Vairship Avatar
          Vairship

          At least here in the US:
          Chrysler has the Pacifica and nothing new in the pipeline.
          Dodge has ancient platforms with 700 hp and nothing new in the pipeline.
          RAM has the RAM.
          JEEP has some reasonable sellers.

          Fiat has the 500 and nothing new in the pipeline.
          Alfa exists… I think.
          (FCA US might have more brands than they have platforms?).

          But hey, at least they don’t have to worry about those past union employees. Those all got wiped out in the 2009 ‘bankruptcy’ and now have only the UAW in charge of their pension, I believe.

          FCA’s business model: wait for PSA to send lots of money and new car platforms.

          Reply
          1. Wayne Moyer Avatar
            Wayne Moyer

            Well I’m in the US as well.
            I had my Grand Caravan getting service at a rare moment in the dealership. It might have been a recall. So I checked out the Pacifica. I was not impressed to say the least. Hard cheap plastic in places the Grand Caravan doesn’t.
            I think Fiat is getting ready to leave us again as is Alfa but i have to go look it up.
            Forgot about the new FCA and new GM that got rid of those problems. Good point.

          2. Fuhrman16 Avatar
            Fuhrman16

            Actually, Fiat is killed of the 500, as well as the 124 Spider, last year. That just leaves the 500L wagon/van thing and the 500X CUV. Alfa has a sport sedan and a SUV, maybe the 4C yet as well?

          3. outback_ute Avatar
            outback_ute

            There is a new electric only 500 I think. I agree with Vairship, hopes must be pinned on PSA for new models because there seems to be little else going on.

          4. E34less Avatar
            E34less

            The upcoming 500 isn’t going to be sold stateside unfortunately.

          5. 0A5599 Avatar
            0A5599

            Actually, after the smoke cleared n the 2009 bankruptcy, the UAW pension fund owned about 2/3 of New Chrysler. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Chapter_11_reorganization#Sale_to_%22New_Chrysler%22

    2. theskitter Avatar
      theskitter

      Dodge Grand Caravan: So Old It’s Good

      Reply
  2. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    The only knock I have against the Raptor is the lack of a V8. That alone makes this Ram more desirable in my eyes, but I think the Hellcat engine is overkill and merely a good excuse to tack on a ridiculous price tag. The regular 392 would be fine, in my opinion. I’m guessing one could start with a “normal” 1500 4×4 and add off-road pieces to create a strong performer at a much more palatable price.

    I also give the nod to the Ram in styling, but again, there’s no way to justify $70k.

    Reply
    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      I’d say why not add another $5k onto the price, it’s not going to deter any buyer. Or perhaps they have already!

      Reply
    2. Oak Tree Avatar
      Oak Tree

      When the average car is $30K, a little more than double that is about market neutral.

      Reply