As far as Ram Trucks is concerned, it does not have to sell a lot of models to remain a popular choice – just the full-size 1500 and heavy-duty models (2500, 3500, 4500, 5500), plus a couple of commercial vans should suffice. Alas, that means it cannot properly compete with the likes of GMC, for example.
Currently, Ram sells the American equivalent of the Fiat Doblo (dubbed ProMaster City) as well as the larger Ducato (ProMaster) to show that vans are not obsolete, just yet. Not the commercial versions, at least. Anyway, the rest of the Ram lifestyle is made from just a couple of major full-size pickup truck series – the light-duty 1500 and the heavy-duty 2500, 3500 (plus Chassis Cab), 4500, and 5500, which are both only offered as chassis cabs.
Meanwhile, the ubiquitous Ram 1500 battles its way to the heart of the U.S. market pickup truck sector with foes like the all-mighty Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Toyota Tundra, and Nissan Titan. And it is doing quite well, considering the 2022 sales results – both for new and used pickup trucks, where it places third overall. However, there is one domain where the Ram 1500 runs supreme. That would be the flagship high-performance rock-crawling and dune-bashing category, where it currently trumps rivals such as the 420-hp 6.2-liter V8-equipped Chevy Silverado ZR2 Bison, the 437-hp i-Force Max Toyota Tundra, or the 450-hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost Ford F-150 Raptor.
Of course, those are not its main competitors – just a little appetizer for the real brawl with the first-ever (yet third-gen) Ford F-150 Raptor R, which is motivated by the Mustang Shelby GT500’s 5.2-liter Predator supercharged V8 engine packing 700 horsepower. Although it has the displacement advantage, the 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8-powered Ram 1500 TRX narrowly beats its main contender to the full-size pickup truck crown by just two ponies. Well, that feels like there is room for further OEM interpretation and also allows the aftermarket realm to try and bring out the best-possible tunes.
Anyway, that is all in the real world. Meanwhile, across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, the dreams are slightly different. And there is no need to take our word for granted, as we have a cool example courtesy of Nikita Chuicko, the virtual artist that dwells under the kelsonik moniker on social media whenever he is not busy acting as the resident pixel master for the Kolesa news outlet. His private CGI reel is not (only) filled with all-new upcoming models instead he traditionally focuses on popular vehicles that are already active.
Photo: kelsonik / Instagram
Usually, the author has a passion for lowered SUVs outfitted with bigger aftermarket wheels and potentially adopting his signature CGI “Shadow Line” attire. Recent examples are plentiful, including the Infiniti QX60, Nissan Rogue (X-Trail), Toyota RAV4, or Kia Sportage, as well as a hypothetical all-black Hyundai Santa Cruz SUV and Rivian R1S, with the latter two being my personal favorites of the lot if my two cents are allowed on the digital matter. However, this time around, the virtual artist is taking a welcomed break from the slammed CUV series with some lifted, hypothetical content. So, meet his vision for a Ram 1500 TRX SUV.
Hey, do not call it a modern reincarnation/spiritual successor of the Dodge Ramcharger because this unofficial full-size SUV is not rocking the two-door body style anymore. Instead, it is a cool TRX transformation into a proper SUV, not just a pickup truck with a ‘cover.’ And it looks uncannily spectacular and ready to throw a virtual jab at the full-size body-on-frame establishment. Interestingly, if we take out models such as the Wrangler Unlimited, 4Runner, Bronco, GX, and G-Class, there are still some nice options left in the full-size class.
Those include the Nissan Armada, Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, Toyota Sequoia, Lexus LX, Infiniti QX80, Lincoln Navigator, Rivian R1S, and Cadillac Escalade. So, you see, there are quite a few choices – though none of them rocks a 702-hp supercharged V8 under the hood. Indeed, not even the Ram 1500-related Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer with their 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter Hemi V8s do not even come close to it.
However, there are still very slim chances of Stellantis making a TRX SUV – they are on the brink of the EV revolution, these days, and also have on sale the smaller yet three-row-mightier Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, complete with 710 ponies on tap. So, unfortunately, this work of digital car art is merely wishful thinking…
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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