FCA, which has its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, today announced the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, a new addition to its light-duty lineup with a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine.
The half-ton pickup’s engine is rated at 702 horsepower, 650 lb.-ft. of torque, and offers a top speed of 118 mph. Combined with a high-torque-capacity TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, the Ram TRX can go 0-60 miles per hour (mph) in 4.5 seconds and the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds at 108 mph.
“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,” says Mike Koval, head of Ram Brand, FCA – North America.
The Ram TRX benefits offers up to 32 inches of water fording, up to 8,100 pounds towing, and a maximum payload capacity of 1,310 pounds.
The automaker said the “hourglass” body design features composite flares and fender wells that have been stretched to cover 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory 325/65/R18 All-Terrain tires.
Ram TRX is 8 inches wider when compared to the rest of the Ram 1500 lineup, and the composite flares help to compensate for a 6-inch increase in track width. Normally, Ram 1500 features a wheel that is 8 inches wide, but the TRX design team had to accommodate a wheel that is 9 inches wide.
The front axle was shifted 20 millimeters forward to accommodate the 35-inch Goodyear Territory All-Terrain tires that were designed exclusively for TRX. The 35-inch tires are available with 18-inch beadlock-ready wheels with accent color-matched rings.
Other offerings include LED clearance marker lights that flank the front bumper, a new, aluminum hood features bright LED clearance lights that are integrated in the hood scoop. The hood scoop is responsible for 50 percent of air entering the engine while the other half enters through the grille.
Design elements, like the functional hood scoop, are complemented by secondary details, such as the functional air curtain just outboard of the headlamps, relieving high pressure zones at the front corners and allowing air to pass through the fenders.
A unique R-A-M badge, front grille, hood, skid plates, and steel bumpers help the TRX stand apart. All-black premium LED headlamps, including twin bi-functional projector headlamps, are standard.
TRX buyers can choose an optional full-length rock rail for added body/sill protection or traditional off-road powder-coated aluminum running boards. Optional body-side and hood graphics are available as a pair or separately.
Ram TRX features new box outers made of steel and are wider than that of a traditional Ram 1500. A bed-mounted spare tire carrier is available in addition to the standard full-size spare tire that sits underneath the bed, between the rear axle and trailer hitch. Premium LED taillamps are standard on TRX and the bezels allow for the Blind-spot Monitoring function to see around the extended box outers.
Closing out the rear of the truck, a large R-A-M badge, similar to that seen on Rebel, stretches across the tailgate. Center identification marker lights, like what is seen on Ram Heavy Duty models, are tucked between the tailgate and rear bumper.
In addition, there are oversized tow hooks found at the front and rear of the truck, and integrated 5-inch dual exhaust ports driving the functional performance objective home.
The interior includes premium textures, colors, and materials, including available hand-wrapped leather instrument panels. Overall, there are three interior options, including premium cloth and vinyl, premium wrapped leather and suede, or premium wrapped leather and suede with available red and carbon fiber accents.
Based on the Rebel layout, trucks outfitted with a TR Equipment Group will offer premium cloth and vinyl accents featuring black and Dark Ruby Red surfaces. Opting for the TR1 or TR2 Equipment Group provides an interior based on the Ram 1500 Limited and features an all-black color scheme with leather and suede to give TRX a unique feel.
Heated and ventilated premium Natura Plus leather with perforated suede accents cover the front bucket and rear bench seats. The TR1 and TR2 Equipment Groups come standard with medium Greystone stitching and Graphite Metallic accents. The TR2 Equipment Group offers TRX red stitching and carbon fiber accents as an available option.
The front seats are equipped with enhanced upper bolster support and embroidered logos. TR1 and TR2 Equipment Groups feature a Modular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment / Pouch Attachment Ladder System (MOLLE/PALS) on the seatback that enables bags and other equipment to be weaved in place.
A new SRT-signature flat-bottom steering wheel, with enhanced hand grips wrapped in leather with optional suede and carbon fiber accents, enables performance driving. New aluminum paddle shifters stretch above and below the steering wheel spokes, allowing the driver to choose the proper gear with their fingertips.
A console mounted performance floor shifter, which includes a cast metal main grip wrapped with semi-perforated leather, lends itself to spirited performance driving that TRX was bred for, while maximizing storage. Both the console and paddle shifters mark the debut of each in a Ram truck.
The Drive Mode selector has been integrated into the dashboard above the transfer case switches and offers different modes of operation, indicated by a TRX pictogram for select environments: Normal, Wet/Snow, Off-road and Baja. A Launch Control button is easily within reach of the driver, sitting to the right of the transfer case switches, and is standard on TRX.
Reinforcing TRX’s performance chops, an all-new Head-up Display unit can show up to five different content areas at once, including Lane Departure, Lane Keep Assist, adaptive cruise control, turn-by-turn navigation, current speed, current gear and speed limit. The Head-up Display is available on the TR2 Equipment Group and is a full-color unit accessible through the 12-inch Uconnect 4C touchscreen.
A custom specifications plate on the console lid lists which engine is under the hood, the type of supercharger Ram TRX uses, boost output, horsepower and the vehicle-specific Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
The 2021 Ram TRX will be built at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) in Sterling Heights. Production begins in the fall. No pricing was announced, but the vehicle will be available next spring.
