Ram TRX: Quickest, Fastest & Most Powerful Truck in the World

Ram TRX features 702 horsepower, 650 lb-ft of torque and loads of high performance technology.

This morning, FCA introduced the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX to the world, and it is the high performance pickup that so many people wanted. Featuring 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque from the supercharged Hemi that was first introduced in the Dodge Hellcat cars, the TRX was designed to defeat the Ford F-150 Raptor. Doing that requires more than just a supercharged Hemi, so the engineering team has built this truck from the ground-up. This includes a unique frame, a unique body, a completely redesigned frame and the most technologically advanced interior in the half-ton segment.

“The all-new 2021 Ram TRX sets the benchmark for extreme performance pickup trucks and solidifies Ram Truck’s position as the off-road truck leader,” said Mike Koval, Head of Ram Brand, FCA – North America. “Ram has a strong history of high-performance trucks and TRX adds to that while expanding the light-duty lineup with the segment’s best combination of performance, capability, luxury and technology.”

In short, the Hellcat Ram is finally here and it is everything that we expected and more. This is the quickest, fastest and most powerful truck in the world, but the interior offers an impressive level of luxury. Also, this high performance half-ton introduces several new features, including heads-up display and trailer backup control system that Ram execs state is easier to use than the Ford system.

This isn’t a Ram 1500 with a Hellcat Hemi. This is an entirely new truck that is built to crush the competition and it starts at just $69,995 plus destination.

702 Supercharged Hemi Horsepower

The 2016 concept “only” had 575 horsepower, but the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX in production form packs 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. This is the same basic engine as the V8 in the Dodge Challenger and Charger, but there are two key revisions; the exhaust manifolds and the engine air intake setup. The manifolds are simply an issue of fitment in the truck frame, but the engine air intake is a more elaborate issue. Feeding the supercharged Hemi is a key concern, so the Ram engineers developed an engine air intake system with two paths and a massive filter box. Half of the engine air comes through the hood scoop and the other half comes through the grille, with the air being stripped of dirt and water in the huge air filter box.

The Ram TRX’s power is sent to all four wheels by means of an 8HP95 8-speed automatic transmission, a full-time active Borg Warner transfer case with a 2.64:1 low gear and a Dana 60 rear differential with full floating axle shafts. Connecting the drivetrain to the road is a set of 18-by-9-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in 325/65/18 Goodyear tires that were developed specifically for the Ram TRX.

For those who aren’t sure, 325/65/18 equates to 35-inches tall and roughly 13-inches wide, and those who want a bit tougher wheel can opt for beadlock-capable rollers. The only downside to the huge off-road tires is the speed rating, as they contribute to the TRX’s electronically limited top speed of 118 miles per hour.

While 118 miles per hour might seem slow for a Hellcat-powered vehicle, that number makes it the fastest production truck on the market. Those big tires don’t exactly help acceleration on paved ground, but it still leads in those metrics as well, dashing from a stop to 60 in just 4.5 seconds. Sprinting to 100 in 10.5 seconds and covering the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds at 108 miles per hour. Those numbers make the Ram TRX the quickest production truck on the market today. However, this truck isn’t just about top speed and quarter mile times, as it is built to dominate any off-road condition and that starts underneath the truck.

‘Ram TRX is the Quickest, Fastest & Most Powerful Truck in the World’ continued…

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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