Photo: Drag racing between two Hellcat models is something you can watch over and over again. There's a lot of variation out there, like putting a RWD Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye against the Ram 1500 TRX.
Drag racing between two Hellcat models is something you can watch over and over again. There's a lot of variation out there, like putting an RWD Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye against the Ram 1500 TRX.
The differences between the two are immediately apparent. The TRX is an off-road truck with gigantic tires, and it doesn't look like the ideal setup for drag racing. Meanwhile, the Redeye is this American sports sedan icon, the fastest, most powerful four-door Detroit can produce.
Both are monsters, but the Redeye should be the bigger one since its version of the V8 is more powerful, packing 797 horsepower and 707 lb-ft (957 Nm) of torque. The big change is an IHI 2.7-liter supercharger versus the normal 2.4-liter one. This cranks out 14.5 psi of stock boost compared to 11.6 in Hellcats.
Of course, adding air does nothing without fuel, so dual-stage fuel pumps and larger fuel injectors have been installed. The Redeye is capable of hitting over 200 miles per hour (322 kph), and at full power, 1.43 gallons of fuel are needed every minute. It's a good thing drag strips have fuel pumps nearby.
Meanwhile, the 6.2-liter in the TRX makes 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft (880 Nm) of torque. This makes it the "quickest, fastest, and most powerful mass-produced half-ton pickup truck in the world," according to Dodge. But it's impossible to ignore the bulk. Its hood is level with the Charger's roof, and the weight gap between them is equivalent to a cow or two alligators. If you want to be factual, the TRX weighs about 1,700 pounds (771 kg) more, but it all depends on the equipment.
However, the TRX has AWD. That doesn't sound very important at first. After all, trucks are supposed to crawl up hills, not drag race. But the Ram has shown numerous times that it's built to be fast.
Honestly, this is a historic drag race, and the strip attendant holding the mop while drinking a gallon of juice has no idea he's part of a significant moment. That, or he sees Hellcats all day long.
We honestly expected the TRX to win after what it did with the Challenger Hellcat in Canada. But this Redeye sedan hooks up amazingly well to pull a 12.42s pass. It's not a world record, but the truck has been put back in its place for now. Better get the Hennessey Mammoth and have a do-over.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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