Photography by Courtesy of Ram Trucks
The name is a dead giveaway. “TRX” isn’t just three letters denoting Ram’s highest-ever performing off-road package—it’s really short for T-Rex. In other words, this truck has been designed to devour Ford’s mighty F-150 Raptor in just about every performance parameter.
“We’re unleashing our new apex Predator, says head of Ram brand Mike Koval. “And it destroys Raptors.”
The TRX began as a concept back in 2016. And according to Ram, the company used early feedback from that concept to hone the production model. The result is essentially a 4X4 enthusiasts’ dream machine.
Here are some of those wild stats:
6.2-liter Supercharged V8: 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque
0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds
¼-mile: 12.9 seconds at 108 mph
Top Speed: 118 mph
Wheel Travel: 13-inches front and 14-inches rear
Ramp Travel Index: 605
Payload: 1310 lbs.
Tow capacity: 8,100 lbs.
Base Price: $71,690
Now let’s dig into some of the details we know so far.
Intimidating Stare
The new TRX look absolutely menacing—and we dig it. Just look at that massive hood scoop with three little clearance lights built into it. Badass! Part of tough new look comes from the stance. The TRX is 88-inches wide, that’s 8-inch wider than a normal Ram 1500. The TRX has a wider grill and flared fenders are there to help cover 35-inch tires.
Look closely at those front fenders and you can see black vents on the leading edge that pass-through to the other side. Ram calls these “air curtains” and they are used to relieve high pressure around the bodywork, to presumably create better aerodynamic performance.
Visually, the TRX has the perfect mix of pre-runner and muscle truck and has a pleasingly swoopy “Coke bottle” shape. The TRX has optional bodyside and hood graphics for those that want to further add some visual punch. To keep things simple, every TRX will be a Crew Cab with a 5-foot 7-inch bed.
Fresh Foundation
The TRX uses composite panels for the fenders as well as aluminum for the hood and tailgate. And yet this beast weighs about 600 pounds more than a regular Ram. Why? There’s a new frame. The team decided the normal Ram 1500 frame was too light-duty for the TRX. So, they developed a new one. It’s 75 percent unique with up-gauged steel and additional bracing. And to make certain those big tires will cycle fully inside the fenders without rubbing, the wheelbase has been stretched slightly with front wheels pulled further forward by .78-inches on that new chassis.
And cycle they will. The TRX provides around 13 inches of front wheel travel thanks to all-new forged aluminum upper and lower control arms that are wider than stock. And to make sure the half shafts don’t bind, the ones on the TRX have a sliding design to accommodate high angularity.
The springs provide a 2-inch lift over pedestrian Ram 1500 4X4s and are complemented by new Bilstein Blackhawk e2 active dampers. The dampers are adjustable too, through different driving modes inside the cab. The team says these shocks have “unbeatable damping and improved heat dissipation for traversing harsh terrain at speeds greater than 100 mph.”
The one part of the front suspension we are a little surprised about is the front differential. It’s the same aluminum ZF 215 unit that comes on every 1500 4X4. And that means the 8.5-inch diff is open (boo!). Ram uses brake-based traction control to limit wheel slip up front. The team did strengthen the steering system too. And they’ve added a larger brake package too—15-inch discs at each corner.
In the rear, the TRX retains a version of the 5-link design used on the standard 1500. However, the longer links use unique frame mounting points. There are longer springs to match the front as well as the same remote reservoir 2.5-inch Bilstein active dampers with 60-mm pistons and unique rock shields for added protection in the desert. The suspension travel here measures almost 14-inches. Ram says in addition to the standard urethane bump stops, the dampers have a Jounce Cut Off too, which they say creates three zones for progressive bottom-out control.
The TRX has unique 18X9 inch wheels wrapped in all-new 315/65R18 Goodyear Wrangler Territory tires that are “T” speed rated especially for the TRX. And there’s an optional beadlock-capable wheel package too. Those big tires provide a 11.8-inches of ground clearance.
To make sure the TRX had the chops to handle extreme off-roading, the development team logged 1000s of miles of off-road testing. Much of that occurred at the company’s Arizona Proving Ground in Yucca, where the team could push the truck to the breaking point over an all-new durability loop built specifically for the TRX. The TRX team did durability and development testing in some extreme environments around the country including the dunes of Glamis, California and red rocks of Moab, Utah.
Supercharged SRT Insanity
Not that long ago, 500 horsepower seemed like a ridiculous number for a pickup truck. After all, back in 2004 Ram needed the Viper’s V10 packing a full 488 cubic-inches to hit that number in the SRT-10 Ram. But five-hundred big ones won’t cut it in a high performance fullsize truck these days.
The good news is that Ram’s parent company has a stable of high-performance SRT engines—supercharged V8s churning out insane levels of horsepower in cars like the Challenger and Charger as well as Jeep’s own Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. So, it made sense to bolt one of these fire-breathers under the hood of the TRX.
Press the red start button and the SRT Supercharged 6.2-liter V8 belts out a hefty 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. In case anyone’s keeping score, that’s 252 more horsepower than the Ford Raptor. To make this powerplant work in the Ram, the team engineered a dual path intake. One path inhales through the top part of the grill and the second grabs air through that big “Ram Airflow” scoop on the hood. The two airpaths mix and pass through dual 8-inch by 12-inch filters. Ram says the system provides four times the dust trapping ability of the TRX’s closest competitor—the Raptor. The engine exhales though new cast-iron exhaust manifolds into 3-inch pipes and out giant 5-inch diameter tailpipes. We had a chance to hear the exhaust note during the press preview and believe us when we say it sounds every bit as throaty, awesome and nasty as you want.
To help meet the TRX’s water-fording goal of 32-inches, the team relocated the alternator higher up on the engine. And there’s a unique TRX-spec deep sump oilpan to keep the V8 well lubed during high-G off road events.
Drivetrain Bulletproofing
As one might imagine, with that much power and torque on demand, the Ram’s drivetrain needed a little beefing. Every TRX will have an 8-speed automatic. And it’s the same high-performance ZF 8HP95 8-speed automatic used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Want some more good news? Ram decided to ditch the rotary dash-mounted shifter for a good old-fashioned shift lever down on the center console. Better still, there are a pair of large shift paddles up on either side of the flat-bottom steering wheel so the driver can bang gears manually. There are a whopping 8 (!) drive modes on the TRX to tailor transmission performance (as well as other systems) to match the terrain: Auto, Sport, Tow, Snow, Custom, Mud/Sand, Rock and Baja.
Baja is perhaps the mode we are most excited about and provides unique calibrations for the four-wheel-drive and steering systems, stability control, paddle shifters and suspension—according to Ram. It’s the mode best-tailored to TRX’s main mission of tackling high-speed off-road driving. And get this, the TRX has a system called Jump Detection which uses sensors and accelerometers to identify when the rig is airborne. At that point, the system adjusts the engine, drivetrain and suspension to both prevent power spikes and help smooth landings. Very smart.
The TRX uses a strengthened version Ram 1500s transfer case. The new transfer case, a Borg Warner 48-13, still has a 2.64:1 low range gearset but has strengthened internals (like the bearings and chain) to handle the TRX’s power. But one interesting thing about the TRX is that it’s fulltime 4WD. There is no 2WD mode in the transfer case just 4WD Auto, 4WD High and 4WD Low. Sorry to burst your bubble if you had dreams of doing big bodacious smoky burnouts.
Inside the Options
The Ram 1500’s interior was already a great place to spend time. in fact, it was already our favorite in the class when it came to the quality of the switches and materials. The TRX builds on that goodness and Ram says certain models will be every bit as luxurious as a Ram 1500 Limited. However, Ram engineers made sure function trumps flash. And so, there’s the new console shifter mentioned earlier as well as a new cluster to house all the drive modes and 4WD controls and related switches. In that cluster, you’ll find buttons for the rear axle lock as well as one for launch control—just like SRT’s highest performance machines. So you can stomp your neighbor’s BMW at the stoplight.
Because this is an expensive truck, Ram includes a lot of stuff standard including fully adaptive LED lighting. On the inside, every TRX gets performance seats with thick bolsters (25-mm larger than standard 1500 seats) to keep you in place as well as a thick-rimmed flat bottom steering wheel. There’s a new heads up display with three unique views and an optional 360-degree camera system with forward cams to help with trail spotting.
The 12-inch Uconnect head unit is also standard and comes with specialized off-road pages. Drivers can configure a custom mode, like other SRT products, to specify certain parameters like a softer suspension setting paired with a more aggressive transmission shift algorithm. Step up to the TR1 package and the TRX is built with heated leather seats, a heated steering wheel and a 60/40 split rear seat. The top TR2 model adds ventilated seats.
Other options include a 9.2-inch wide LCD rearview monitor system and a Trailer Reverse Steer Control system that allows the driver to use a dial to help steer in the correct direction when backing a trail. Rock rails and a bed-mounted sport bar are on the options list as is a bed-mounted spare tire carrier that can handle a 37-inch tall tire.
Ram says 700 special TRX launch Edition trucks will be built. All will be painted Anvil Grey and include the TR2 trim as well as beadlock wheels, a dual-pane sunroof and a special badge inside. These limited-run machines will start at $88,000.
The Bottom Line
We can’t wait to get this one into the open desert. The Ram TRX is going to be one of the most fun 4X4s for high-speed four-wheeling. It should be the closest yet to a full-fledged production pre-runner and it should give the Ford Raptor some much-needed competition. Ram says production will begin in the 4th quarter and that the TRX should start to trickle into dealers before the end of the year. You can place your order now on https://www.ramtrucks.com with trucks starting at $71,690.
2