Back in 2016, Ram did a little experiment: What if you took a $53,000 Ram Rebel and put it on steroids? The result was the Ram TRX concept, a massive brute that not-so-subtly targeted Ford Raptors for lunch.
Two years later, that concept will finally be a reality.
Ram’s parent company Fiat Chrysler Auto has just announced the TRX is making the jump from the Detroit pedestal to the production line. Scheduled for release before 2022, the Ram TRX will stay true to the original concept (sadly, it’s got spark plugs…), which had a 6.2-liter Hemi V8 good for 575 hp. That’s almost 200 horses more than the Rebel’s 5.7-liter Hemi , and heaps greater than the Raptor’s 450hp V6.
As good as the V8 is however, keep in mind that horsepower figure is from two years ago. With Ram’s current Hellcats and Trackhawks boasting 707hp plants, it’s a good bet the jurassic TRX will not be far behind. In fact, rumors circulating in a Ram enthusiast site point to two different models: a naturally-aspirated “TR” model good for 520hp, and the supercharged TRX that goes all the way to 707hp.
The TRX concept’s desert racing-inspired interior, complete with 6-point harnesses for each passenger
Which is just as well, since the 2016 concept was inspired by the fastest offroad racing trucks. It had a factory widebody kit to accommodate beefy 37-inch tires, 13 inches of wheel travel, and six-point racing harnesses for every passenger.
And as ridiculous as that was, its spiritual predecessor, the original Dodge Ram T-Rex concept from 1997, was even more bonkers, packing a three-axle 6-wheel drive that could give the 6×6 AMG G-class a run for its money.
The original Dodge Ram T-Rex concept. Why stop at four wheels?
We have no word if those insane racing harnesses will make it to production, but Ram has several years to make it right. Here’s hoping the production TRX lives up to its heritage!