THE RAM 1500 TRX it's almost six meters long and weighs close to three tonnes, but that doesn't stop it from reaching 100 km/h in just 4.8s or hitting 190 km/h (limited), courtesy of the 711 6.2 V8 Supercharged engine cv, inherited from Hellcat.
Just as 65 million years ago the most ferocious of dinosaurs, the T-Rex, was considered extinct from the face of the planet, so in the 21st century we will see the disappearance of powerful North American pick-up trucks powered by huge six-piece gasoline engines. or eight cylinders.
In this case, it should not be a collision of a gigantic meteorite that exterminates the species, but rather a “Darwinist” replacement by vehicles with similar purposes, but animated by partially or fully electric motors — curiously, they should be heavier due to the large batteries that they will use. Take the case of Tesla Cybertruck or the GMC Hummer EV.
Even though it is half the length (but almost 6.0 m!), less than half the height (2.2 m) and 1/3 the weight (almost 3000 kg) of the King of Dinosaurs, RAM's 1500 TRX easily pairs. to T-Rex by its name, dimensions and weight.
But also because it does not take many years to be an extinct species, falling before the increasingly demanding standards of environmental decontamination (which are beginning to be taken seriously in the United States by the Biden administration). Some will be 100% electric, others will be hybrids (plug-in), but here too a parallel can be established with the fierce biped in a bad mood, which despite looking more like a reptile, actually has more to do with a bird. halfway (a kind of “hybrid”, therefore).
In the US, RAM is the third most sought-after pickup truck (and also the third best-selling model in that market), after direct rivals, Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado (yes, the podium is a monopoly of high-end pickups. size), rivals that also have specially “muscled” versions. In the case of Ford, the F-150 receives the Raptor suffix, a version that had an enthusiastic reception in that market, selling more than the Corvette or the entire Porsche range put together, in that country.
A dinosaur on the loose in the city
Of course, the visual impact of this pick-up becomes even more frightening if it is placed in a habitat where much smaller “beings” or, more properly, much more compact cars predominate. Like in the center of a European city like Munich (in this case) where the RAM 1500 TRX makes more necks than a Lamborghini Huracán or a Ferrari 488, casting menacing shadows over everything around it, like an eagle stretching out its its wingspan with a flutter of wings.
Reactions on the street are diametrically opposite, ranging from thumbs held high, faces stunned, or shaking their heads in disapproval, in the latter case in more ecologically active minds, which are more common in northern Europe: how dare anyone to walk with such a polluting monster when environmental dogmatism increasingly defines the parameters of our lives?
In the city, it is sometimes a little embarrassing to have so many looks in our direction, because not having a system stop/start the deep background snore is always present when we stop at a traffic light.
Well, opponents of this vehicle concept will be happy to know that the RAM 1500 TRX is not officially distributed by any Stellantis brand in Europe, while on the other side of the barricade the information that there is an importer in Germany (AEC) will be welcomed which brings the “animal” to Europe for prices starting at 119 000 euros.
It may seem high to pay for a pickup truck, even if it's fed a heavy diet of steroids, but in its home market it sold out the 702 units (that's the nominal HP power) of the launch edition in less than three hours , through orders placed and flagged online (also costing half the European price).
heavily reinforced structure
TRX starts from the base model 1500 Rebel, updated in 2019, with improvements in comfort, equipment and 4×4 capabilities.
For this alter ego version, several parts of the frame have been replaced with stiffer ones (and almost entirely made of ultra high strength steel and aluminium, also to help fight the weight) and the suspension has been completely revamped with new control arms. in forged aluminum, new bushings, aluminum shock absorbers for durability and better heat dissipation, and revised geometry.
The rear coil springs, made to order for RAM, are 60 cm (the largest used on any series production vehicle in the world), the suspension travel is 33 cm and the highly evolved active dampers are from Bilstein (Blackhawk) .
As a pure and tough pick-up the RAM 1500 TRX naturally has a frame with stringers, using a front suspension (double overlapping wishbones) and a rigid rear axle with five links (one of them a Panhard bar) with coil springs, much more comfortable than the blades that pick-ups used in the past.
Compared to the more quiet versions of the RAM 1500, the tracks were widened (by more than 15 cm) as was the body width, so that the very aggressive dynamic performances did not affect stability. That's something you notice right from the first look at the TRX, whose “dark” personality is soon to be seen also in the darkened radiator grille and hood full of breathers so that the legendary 6.2l Hellcat V8 Supercharged engine doesn't suffer from it. any kind of suffocation.
Discover your next car
And then there's a MOPAR catalog with more than 100 references to customize and make it more urban or rural according to what the owner wants, including the RAM bar in the open box, fixing the spare tire in the open box (standard is fixed under the box, between the tow hook and the rear axle), LED on the roof, rims with safety rings (to prevent the tire from separating from the rim in situations where it was necessary to lower its pressure when crossing dunes , for example).
RAM 1500 TRX Mopar Performance Parts
Refined interior surprises
Increasing the TRX's height compared to the 12 cm base version can create some embarrassment for some smaller occupants to climb up (the step slides a little and it would have been useful to equip the RAM with automatically removable sill boards), but it's well worth it. the effort because the cabin is amazing… and what follows too.
We have the same dashboard base as the RAM 1500 but with many improvements, from the sports steering wheel with a flat bottom section, gearshift paddles, for the first time in an aluminum Ram model (behind the steering wheel, but almost redundant due to the amount of torque ), seats with reinforced side support, different types of metals (some with brushed surfaces) and a balanced combination of leather (with red stitching), Alcantara and… carbon fiber.
The instrumentation combines the round dials at the ends (speed, revolutions, etc.) with a central digital area that presents different informational graphics according to the driver's choices.
There's also a sunroof, head-up display, a top-of-the-range audio system with 19 speakers (Harman Kardon's signature), all well integrated into a robust construction and careful finishes, to generate a perceived quality much higher than that. it is common in a product of the American automobile industry. It turns out to be close to the interior of the 1500 Limited (the most luxurious version) but here the transmission selector (automatic eight-speed) left the dashboard and moved to a more normal position in the center console.
In the space left by the removal of the gearbox selector is now the control panel for gearboxes, Launch Control, driving modes and steep descent control, while the control to help maneuver the trailer has been placed under the big one ( 12”) central infotainment screen (which has many buttons around it to control the climate).
In the many menus that can be consulted on the screen, the ones that show data on engine performance and efficiency, vehicle status and everything that might be lacking in a racing pick-up stand out.
There are eight driving modes: Auto, Sport, Individual, Snow, Mud/Sand, Stones, Towing (up to 3.67 t) and Baja, the latter probably being the most enigmatic. It's used for situations where you're going to go fast on unpaved but relatively flat areas, so the general settings (steering, sound, engine/box) are close to those of the Sport mode, but allowing more use of the suspension travel and more body movements to deal with passing over rougher surfaces, in addition to making traction control more tolerant to give rise to delicious skidding on land.
There is plenty of space for four occupants, and those sitting in the back feel comfortable with the completely flat floor, direct ventilation vents and central armrest. The open box is 1.70 m long and has a capacity of 1526 l.
Unstoppable!
The irreverence of the RAM 1500 TRX goes so far as to “invite” the driver to jump with it more than common sense would advise. According to US engineers, all you have to do is find a deserted path, a rise in the ground, put on a helmet, raise the launch speed to around 70 km/h and defy the laws of physics.
Once in flight, the Leap Detection system “realizes” that the four wheels are in the air and puts all the brains into action to set the engine power/torque (avoiding potentially dangerous over-regimes to your “health” ), gearshift, torque delivery via both axes and damper adjustment so that landing is as comfortable and safe as possible.
Even without having done a test as radical as this one, a few more conservative leaps were enough to realize that the TRX lives up to these promises, just as the entry into a more trialier all-terrain zone was totally convincing due to the shape with the RAM it left behind several similarly menacing boulders and craters.
The 30 cm ground clearance, generous TT angles and 80 cm ford capacity come in handy, as the 881 Nm of maximum torque lifts it from any side and the huge axle crossings — with the help of the ford. transfer box and rear electronic self-blocking — take care of the rest.
Dual personality
One of the surprises of the RAM 1500 TRX comes when we drive it at slow paces, both because of the good soundproofing (and even noise canceling technology inside) and the level of comfort that exceeds all expectations, especially considering that it is about a vehicle with a stringer chassis when, in fact, the bearing appears to be that of a modern unibody-bodied SUV.
If we increase the pace already on extra-urban roads, the positive impressions continue due to the good restraint of body movements and very good general stability, showing that the option for Bilstein's special shock absorbers has borne fruit.
Switching to Sport mode, TRX starts to put a sense of urgency in everything it does, from breathless accelerations (always accompanied by the premonitory whistle of the compressor) to the speed of gear changes, while the steering loses its vague response and gain a precision and “weight” that are much appreciated when you want to quickly guide an “animal” of almost six meters and three tons.
The most daring may even dare to test the “Launch Control”, although for the common of mortals it might be better to have a medical appointment first because the feeling of being catapulted up to 100 km/h in just over four seconds in this gigantic pick-up trucks and having gray matter projected almost instantly into the back room of the brain may not be for everyone.
The 190 km/h of top speed is less impressive, but if the tires were less country (Goodyear Territory 325/65 R18) the 200 km/h would be easily transposed. In this type of more aggressive use, it's good even if there isn't a soul around because the guttural rumble of the 711 hp V8 gets to be violent for more sensitive eardrums.
The brakes make a good impression by not getting into fatigue easily, but a more powerful “bite” the moment we step on the left pedal would be welcome, especially at high speeds.
Datasheet
| RAM 1500 TRX | |
|---|---|
| Motor | |
| Position | longitudinal front |
| Architecture | 8 cylinders in V at 90º |
| Capacity | 6166 cm3 |
| Distribution | 2 valve per cylinder (16 valve) |
| Food | Injury indirect, Compressor |
| power | 711 hp at 6100 rpm |
| Binary | 881 Nm at 4800 rpm |
| Streaming | |
| Traction | 4 wheels |
| Gear box | 8-speed automatic (torque converter) |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension | FR: Independent of overlapping double triangles; TR: Rigid shaft with 5 connections |
| brakes | FR: Ventilated discs; TR: Ventilated Discs; |
| Turning direction/diameter | Electrical assistance/14.7 |
| Dimensions and Capabilities | |
| Comp. x Width x Alt. | 5915 mm x 2235 mm x 2054 mm |
| Length between the axis | 3685 mm |
| Cargo box capacity | 1526 l |
| warehouse capacity | 150 l |
| Wheels | 325/65 R18 |
| Weight | 2880 kg |
| allowable load | 594 kg |
| Towing Capacity | 3674 kg |
| Off-road capabilities | |
| angles | Attack: 30.2º; Output: 23.5°; Ventral: 21.9º |
| ground clearance | 30 cm |
| ford ability | 800 mm |
| Provisions and consumption | |
| Maximum speed | 190 km/h (limited) |
| 0-100 km/h | 4.8s |
| 0-400 m | 12.8s |
| Combined consumption | 21.2 l/100 km |
| CO2 emissions | 506 g/km |
Authors: Joaquim Oliveira/Press-Inform.
Note: The price of 119 thousand euros is that of the European importer in Germany.