Watch out Ford F-150 Raptor, here comes the crazy Hellcat-powered Ram 1500 Rebel TRx – the most powerful factory-engineered half-ton pickup from the Dodge subsidary yet. It was unveiled at the Texas State Fair!
The Rebel TRX uses the monster 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8 engine from the Dodge Charger/Challenger Hellcat vehicles. It doesn’t produce the full 707 bhp that it makes in either car, but it is still cranks out 575 horsepower, a full 164 horses more than the Ford F-150 Raptor and is expected to be calibrated for off-road driving…which is enough to propel the mini-monster truck to 100 mph in its off road terrain mode.
Power is transferred through an TorqueFlite 8HP70 eight-speed automatic transmission – with paddle shifters – to all four wheels. At the rear the Rebel TRX has an electronic locking differential. The TRX also gets an updated version of the Ram’s 4×4 Performance Control System featuring Normal, Wet/Snow, Off-road etc.
With the powertrain upgrades comes chassis upgrades such as custom front control arms, internal bypass shocks at each corner and new springs. The modifications bring suspension travel to a 13 inches (330 mm) at all four corners which allows it to accommodate massive 37 x 13.5-inch tyres. Ram also added 6-piston calipers that clamp on 15-inch discs at the front and 14-inch discs at the back for equivalent braking power.
Ram also lend the TRx a bullish body which is six-inches wider than the standard 1500 with large composite fenders, located over the tyres. The truck also has a vented and scooped hood based on the Ram HD. A large sport bar was added to the rear, which has provisions for carrying a couple of spare tyres with an LED light bar mounted on top. The truck also armed with a large steel skid plate up front, and an integrated side-exit exhaust behind the doors.
The insides of the TRx gets lavish mix of leather, suede and carbon-fibre; with contrast stitching in read and white to up the appeal. The front seats are also equipped with 4-point racing harnesses to keep you strapped in while you steer the sporty 3-spoke steering wheel. Nylon-door pulls have been installed, instead of conventional door handles.
Now this may just be a concept, but if it proves to be crowd pleaser – which it sure is – it will go into production.
