Ram used last year’s Capital Markets Day
presentation to confirm plans to build a production version of the TRX concept.
The company didn’t say much about the truck, but revealed it would arrive by
the end of 2022. FCA has a pretty spotty record when it comes to delivering on their
promises, so it’s reassuring to know a YouTuber spotted a handful of TRX
prototypes undergoing testing at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan.
According to the person who uploaded the video, the
prototypes were based on the crew cab version of the Ram 1500 Laramie. They
went on to say the trucks were equipped with extended fender flares and had a
“serious supercharger whine.” The prototypes were being benchmarked against the
Ford F-150 Raptor which isn’t too surprising as the truck effectively created
the market for high-performance, off-road pickups.
Ram hasn’t said much about the TRX lately, but the
concept was introduced in 2016 as the “most powerful factory-engineered
half-ton pickup ever.” Speaking of power, the truck was equipped with a
supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that developed 575 hp. It
was connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission which sent power to a four-wheel
drive system with an electric locking rear differential.
While 575 hp is nothing to sneeze
at, it’s possible the production model could be even more powerful. The Dodge
Challenger SRT Hellcat has 717 hp and 888 Nm of
torque, while the Redeye variant boasts 797 hp and 957 Nm of torque. Even the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is rated at 707 hp and 875 Nm of torque.
Regardless of how much power the truck has, we can
expect a host of off-road focused features. Nothing is official, but the
concept was equipped with 37-inch tires and a bespoke suspension with coilover
shocks featuring an internal bypass. The truck was also outfitted with a
high-performance Baer braking system with six-piston monoblock calipers that
grabbed onto 14- and 15-inch discs.
