The Ram 1500 TRX has seen a lot of drag races since its debut. TFL put it up against everything they could find, while Hennessey didn't miss any opportunities either. But we haven't seen that many races featuring the truck's muscle car cousin.
That changes thanks to YouTuber Sam CarLegion, who lined up a Dodge Challenger Hellcat up against the off-road racing rig. The muscle car is a local hero in Canada as it's made in Ontario. But despite being born in Snowbelt, it doesn't come with AWD, which might have come in handy in the drag race.
On the other hand, the TRX does come with AWD and all the differentials you'd want. And while it's built for off-roading, we have seen it do surprisingly well in a straight line, at least by truck standards. It's likely that drivetrain loss also affects it.
We'll mention that these two vehicles are separated by almost 2,000 lbs (907 kg) of ruggedness and practicality. It's a massive gap, but the Hellcat isn't going to take things easy just because it's going up against a truck. Both vehicles appear stock not counting the sports exhaust fitted to the TRX, which is so loud it disrupts the auto of the clip.
So what exactly happens? Well, as we've come to expect, Sam tries all the drive modes since these have shown to make a huge difference. In the first race, the TRX smashes its opponent pretty hard. It always gets a better launch, and the Hellcat struggles to catch up.
Of course, drag racing purists are going to get angry over the wet track. Sure, the Hellcat would have performed better in the dry, but the race reflects real-world conditions. If somebody says your car is slow, do you look for an opening in the weather to race? And, by the end of the video, you'll see the road is practically dry, yet the Challenger still can't keep up.
Sports mode makes the gap even larger, but maybe the Challenger will stand a better chance in a rolling race. Well, that's not really the case. The only time the TRX loses is when they use Sport mode and manually shift their auto gearboxes. Otherwise, the muscle car is just too sluggish.
On the other hand, the TRX does come with AWD and all the differentials you'd want. And while it's built for off-roading, we have seen it do surprisingly well in a straight line, at least by truck standards. It's likely that drivetrain loss also affects it.
We'll mention that these two vehicles are separated by almost 2,000 lbs (907 kg) of ruggedness and practicality. It's a massive gap, but the Hellcat isn't going to take things easy just because it's going up against a truck. Both vehicles appear stock not counting the sports exhaust fitted to the TRX, which is so loud it disrupts the auto of the clip.
So what exactly happens? Well, as we've come to expect, Sam tries all the drive modes since these have shown to make a huge difference. In the first race, the TRX smashes its opponent pretty hard. It always gets a better launch, and the Hellcat struggles to catch up.
Of course, drag racing purists are going to get angry over the wet track. Sure, the Hellcat would have performed better in the dry, but the race reflects real-world conditions. If somebody says your car is slow, do you look for an opening in the weather to race? And, by the end of the video, you'll see the road is practically dry, yet the Challenger still can't keep up.
Sports mode makes the gap even larger, but maybe the Challenger will stand a better chance in a rolling race. Well, that's not really the case. The only time the TRX loses is when they use Sport mode and manually shift their auto gearboxes. Otherwise, the muscle car is just too sluggish.