Basic Ram 1500 TRX Still Has the Most Important Stuff

Getting the most basic version of Ram’s super truck doesn’t change its bonkers amount of power, but it does save a little weight.

If you see a TRX out in the wild, there’s a good chance it’s optioned to well beyond its MSRP of $70,295. It’s the ultimate Ram 1500, so why not take it to the ultimate heights of luxury and technology? But the owner of the white TRX in this video from The Fast Lane Truck kept his “truckosaurus” basic. Not only did he save a little money, but he also added a little payload capacity.

Shane Bowen of Innovation Installations selected the most bare-bones configuration of the apex predator available. The unheated and unventilated seats are covered in a combination of vinyl and cloth. There’s no heating element inside of the steering wheel, either. Panoramic sunroof? Negative. Carbon fiber trim? Nah. One noticeable absence that co-host Andre Smirnov points out is the blank near the transfer case controls where the trailer brake controller would go.

Bowen tells co-host Roman Mica, “I’m definitely not a tech person.” That means he got his TRX without blind-spot and cross-path detection, and other gizmos. Bowen’s truck does have the 12-inch touchscreen only because all TRXs come with that. He did add one thing, but that was out of necessity because he lives in Colorado and parks his truck outside. “Remote start was a must.”

Out the door, Bowen’s truck had a final price just a little north of $72,000. Still not cheap by any means, but considering you can quickly spec a TRX to well above 90 grand, it’s relatively modest. The visual add-ons it has, such as the hood and bedside graphics, Bowen put on himself. As he tells Mica, “Since this is what I do for a living, I know a guy.”

That restraint in the showroom paid off in terms of usability. Bowen’s lighter Raptor killer has a payload capacity of 1,404 pounds – 72 more than what The Fast Lane Truck‘s more generously equipped company TRX has. One thing that’s the same about their rigs is the fact that they both have a 702-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8. You can probably see where this is going…

Yep, it’s to the drag strip. Smirnov and Mica want to know if Bowen’s truck is faster than theirs and use their right feet to find out. Ultimately, it’s a wash. As we see it, the silver lining is that Bowen’s final purchase price leaves some wallet space for engine mods.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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