The Stellantis-owned Ram truck brand has a surprise in store for April 25, although surprise may not be the right word to describe what's hiding under the desert camouflage tarp. Everyone and their dog knows that it's the six-cylinder RHO, which indirectly replaces the Hellcat-engined TRX.
Pictured on a two-axle trailer being towed by a Cummins-powered 2024 Ram 2500 Rebel, the RHO is best described as the 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel on steroids. First teased on April 15, the Ram High Output is alternatively dubbed Rhino by execs and the peeps who developed this gentle giant.
Rebel High Output would have been a better choice for said acronym, though, because Ram limits the Rebel to the standard-output version of the 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo I6. The straight-six motor shouldn't be confused with the 2.0-liter turbo I4 of the Wrangler and other FCA US LLC vehicles. Although codenamed Hurricane, said engine is actually designated GME T4 for Global Medium Engine turbocharged four-cylinder.
Manufactured in Mexico, the six-cylinder lump rolled out for the 2022 model year in the Grand Wagoneer. Good for either 420 horsepower in the Wagoneer or 510 horsepower in the Grand Wagoneer, the 3.0-liter mill further sweetens the deal to 540 ponies in the 2025 Ram 1500. The punchiest version yet is – for the time being – exclusive to the Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O., developing 550 hp and 521 lb-ft (706 Nm).
Seriously impressive for the displacement and the number of cylinders, although still not good enough in comparison to the iron-block Hellcat supercharged V8. In the 2024 Ram 1500 TRX, the pushrod engine cranks out 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet (881 Nm). Certain Ram websites still advertise the TRX as being the most powerful in the light-duty segment for internal combustion trucks, but Ram appears to have forgotten about the 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor R's 720-horsepower engine.
Photo: Ram on YouTube
You can get an F-150 Raptor R for a staggering $112,250 (including the $1,995 destination charge), making the TRX seem like a bargain at $98,335 as of April 2024. The facelifted Rebel starts at $66,190 with 420 horsepower and 469 pound-feet (636 Nm) to its name, which is much better than the 5.7-liter HEMI of the pre-facelift 2024 Ram 1500 Rebel.
Opinions are split on the RHO's high-output motor between the 540- and 550-horsepower tunes. Whichever may be closer to Ram's crankshaft rating, the RHO will eclipse Ford's F-150 Raptor. The one with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, that is, which packs 450 hp and 510 lb-ft (691 Nm).
Exclusively 4x4 with the Crew Cab-style cab and 5'7" box, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO should also level up on the Rebel with TRX-derived goodies for the suspension. Think Bilstein-supplied adaptive shocks in combination with a Dana 60 rear axle and RHO-exclusive rear links. A dune-bashing truck rather than a rock-crawling mountain goat, RHO should also carry over the TRX's 35-inch tires.
Can the Ram truck brand make a case for 37s from Goodyear rather than BFG? After all, the F-150 Raptor stands out in the half-ton segment by offering 37-inch tires as optional extras on the V6 version or standard on the V8-powered Raptor.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News