For years, the Ford F-150 Raptor has been the go-to model for anyone looking for the ultimate light-duty pickup that offers both performance and plenty of visual presence.
Ford's truck is powered by a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with 450 horsepower and a mighty 510 lb-ft (691 Nm) of maximum torque - enough to move the vehicle and whatever it may be carrying/towing with aplomb no matter the situation. However, it's still two cylinders short of what people generally prefer to have under their hoods.
It's not like the upcoming RAM 1500 TRX is going to convert Ford's faithful with its 6.2-liter V8 engine, but it might just prove the right recipe to attract those who hadn't joined any of the three American pickup truck religions.
For the neutrals, though, watching this fight unfold is going to be quite interesting, especially since General Motors is rumored to join in next year with a performance-oriented Silverado called the ZRX. Like the RAM, the GM contender should come with a naturally aspirated V8 engine as standard, with a supercharged option of the small-block 6.2-liter V8 offered as an option. The Silverado ZRX is rumored to also receive GM's LM2 3.0-liter straight-six turbodiesel for those favoring torque over a smoother running.
The RAM 1500 TRX should get similar options, though there's no talk of a diesel version just now. Expect a naturally aspirated V8 6.4-liter V8 with around 500 horsepower and the famous 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the Hellcat models with anywhere near 700 ponies. Either way, the 1500 TRX will not be short on power.
In terms of off-road performance, the only information we can extrapolate on is the spec sheet of the RAM Rebel TRX concept. The show vehicle came with 13 inches of wheel travel, a wider track with flared wheel arches, a Dynatrac Pro 60 rear axle with locking differential, and internal bypass shocks. We expect most of it, as well as the styling, to be carried over to the production model.
Oh, and since we talked about GM's potential rivalry for the 1500 TRX and Ford's F-150 Raptor, it's worth mentioning the possibility of the latter gaining a V8 engine option as well. No eyebrows will be raised if the Raptor redesign scheduled for 2021 also included the addition of the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine found in the Mustang Shelby GT500. Power output? Potentially well over 760 hp. The king may lose its throne come August 17:)
th, but we could be looking at a very short reign for the RAM 1500 TRX.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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