2021 RAM 1500 TRX Debuts

• 6.2L supercharged V8 good for 702 hp and 650 lb-ft.

• Off-Road specific chassis improvements.

• Baja drive mode.

• Launch Edition limited to 100 units in Canada.

We have to admit; while we’ve seen teasers of a RAM fitted with THE 6.2L supercharged Hellcat V8 found in the likes of the Dodge Challenger and Charger, we never really believed it would happen. We thought that once we bid adieu to the Viper-powered RAM SRT-10 all those years ago, that was it.

But then we remembered. This is FCA, and FCA tends to make good one their more “out there” ideas; see the likes of the Dodge Challenger Demon and Charger Hellcat Redeye.

Now, you can add RAM to the Hellcat pile with this: the – now official – RAM 1500 TRX.

In this application, the venerable 6.2L Hellcat is good for 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque fed through an eight-speed TorqueFlite auto. It’s enough to propel the TRX from 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) in 4.5 seconds, on to a 190 km/h top speed. That’s a lot of performance for a truck with almost 300 mm of ground clearance and mechanical locking differentials, a full-time active transfer case, and Dana 60 rear axle with a 3.55 ratio. Not to mention an ability to tow 8,100 pounds (3,764 kg) and haul 1,310 pounds (594 kg).

Other than the powertrain, a big part of the TRX’s ability to haul you-know-what is the weight savings provided by the use of aluminum for the doors, hood, and tailgate as well as engine mounts and various suspension bits. In addition to saving weight, the aluminum suspension components that form what RAM’s calling an all-new system also help increase rigidity for better performance. That’s a move that RAM says is inspired by Baja off-road racer.

Of course, this being an extra-special model, the chassis overhaul doesn’t stop there. RAM has also developed special Bilstein adaptive shock absorbers that allow the TRX to traverse what RAM calls “harsh terrain” at over 160 km/h. Speaking of Baja racers: to really drive the point home, RAM has added a “Baja” drive mode that plays with the 4×4 system, stability control, paddle shifters, and suspension for even better off-road performance. Wheel travel has also been improved by 40 percent over the standard 1500 at all four corners, and the BorgWarner full-time transfer case provides a 2.64:1 crawl ratio

They’re obviously going full-on Ford F-150 Raptor here (it has a Baja mode, too), although the Blue Oval is going to have to come up with something pretty big if they plan on matching those power figures; maybe they’ll finally be compelled to do that Shelby GT500-powered Raptor they’ve been talking about since last year…

While this truck is really all about what’s under the hood and under the skin, it needs to look the part, too, as these FCA specials often do.

In that light, the TRX has been given composite fender flares that increase body width by 203 mm, allowing for a 152 mm increase in track width as well as 229 mm wheels, which represents a 26 mm increase in wheel width. The massive hood scoop is functional in that it’s responsible for 50 percent of the cooling air that enters the engine, with the grille sucking in the remaining 50 percent. The chunky Goodyear Territory tires, meanwhile, measure 35” and are designed specifically for the TRX.

That grille, meanwhile, gets larger “RAM” scripting than the rest of the line-up and gets a new design for better airflow. There are also LED lights mounted into the hood scoop and front fender flares and an adaptive front lighting system that can rotate the front lights 15 degrees.

Inside, those bonkers enough to opt for one of these will get to choose from between two material options: leather and suede or leather and suede with red and carbon fibre inserts. Considering how “expressive” the TRX looks like on the outside, we’ll bet dollars to donuts that most will be opting for the latter.

Or, they may perhaps want to get in line for the limited-to-100-examples TRX Launch Edition, which provides unique Anvil grey exterior paint and special interior badging as well as standard fitment of the red-and-carbon interior.

There’s also an SRT-style flat-bottom steering wheel as well as an available digital rear-view mirror – normally, I’m a fan of systems like this but I wonder if the mud and dirt the TRX is sure to endure will affect the digital mirror’s performance by covering its cameras in muck; of course, you can always switch back to a traditional mirror if need be.

Speaking of cameras and displays: there are a lot of them in here. There’s your traditional Uconnect display – the TRX gets the 12” number found in other 1500 and HD models as standard – and it’s completely configurable and can be split entirely in half. So, you’ve effectively got two screens for the price of one; maybe you want your Apple CarPlay displayed on one, and your Off-Road Pages on another. Maybe you need to display the Navi screen and equalizer for your optional 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The arrival of the TRX also marks the first time you’ve been able to see Off-Road Pages content (angle of attack, what each individual wheel is doing, and so on) on the main display, which has typically been reserved for a TFT display between the gauges. Speaking of that: it’s here, too, measuring 7” and displaying everything from your trip computer to the off-road stuff we talked about previously. There’s also a heads-up display and forward-facing camera so you can see what’s going on beneath you, even when your angle of attack is such that all you can see through the windscreen is the bright, blue sky.

Finally, if you want to track even more data, Performance Pages are here as well, and they track everything from your g-force to your acceleration and also provide engine performance meters. It’s all saveable to a USB stick.

It should come as little surprise that FCA’s in-house tuning arm, Mopar, has already started developing aftermarket parts for the TRX. Over 100 factory-engineered accessories such as off-road lights, bed-mounted spare carrier (for those that want that trophy truck look from their TRX), and off-road rock rails will be available when the TRX launches later this year.

Pricing for the TRX will start at $93,995 Canadian. The Launch Edition of the TRX will set buyers back $114,995.

2021 RAM 1500 TRX Photo Gallery

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