The RAM TRX, a monster pick-up truck packing a whopping punch, has arrived in Australia, and it is packed to the gills with tech goodies, luxury trimmings, and a supercharged engine that gives it some truly jaw-dropping power.

The 6.2-litre V8 HEMI under the aggressive-looking, scooped bonnet, delivers 523kW and 882Nm, giving the TRX a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 190km/h. Those are suitably impressive numbers for a truck that looks like it would like to eat every other vehicle on the road for breakfast.

The RAM TRX frame is composed of high-strength steel with fully boxed side rails, and aluminium is used for the engine mounts, front axle centre section, front suspension and transmission cross-members, front skid plate, transmission skid plate and steering system gear.

An all-new independent front suspension system with active damping uses high-strength aluminium to maintain overall strength and durability, and an all-new rear suspension system with active damping and five-link coil system is designed to deliver excellent ride characteristics and durability.

New Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive performance shocks are aimed at reducing and dissipating heat and continuously adjust damping forces for optimal body control. Ride comfort, body roll, and handling are controlled via an Active Terrain Dynamics suspension management system.

There’s a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, launch control, and even Jump Detection, which uses wheel-speed and ride-height sensors and accelerometers at each corner to identify when the vehicle is airborne and acts to prevent driveline-damaging power spikes.

A Dana 60 rear axle with full floating axle shafts is standard and used to handle the increased torque output, rear electronic locking differential and 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory All-Terrain 325/65R/18 tyres. A BorgWarner 48-13 full-time active transfer case features upgraded internals for improved strength and durability.

There are five drive modes – Auto, Sport, Tow, Snow and Custom – which separately control the four-wheel-drive system, throttle response, transmission, paddle shifters, suspension, and the electric power steering. All modes use active slip control. The Custom Mode allows the driver to personalise settings. Three off-road modes – Mud/Sand, Rock, and Baja are also available.

The TRX can ford up to 812mm of water, has a braked towing capacity of 3,500kg and can take a payload up to 767kg.

On the inside, fit-out and tech is suitably high quality.

A Uconnect 5C NAV 12-inch fully configurable touchscreen is standard and allows for plenty of customisation and personal device integration. The touchscreen can house one application, such as the navigation map, across the entire 12-inch display or can be divided in half for viewing different applications at the same time. A multifunction switch bank sits below the touchscreen, giving physical control of specific features.

A 900-watt premium Harman Kardon audio system with 19 speakers, including a 10-inch subwoofer, delivers top-notch sound.

Heated and ventilated premium Natura Plus leather and suede accents cover the front bucket and rear bench seats. There’s a new SRT-signature flat-bottom steering wheel with enhanced hand grips wrapped in leather with optional suede and carbon fibre accents, and aluminium paddle shifters.

RAM Australia says the TRX has gone through extensive testing and underwent the same Australian design, homologation, and re-manufacture processes that all previous RAM variants have gone through – over 50,000 hours of pre-build development hours, 80,000kms of rolling road testing, 50,000km of real-world road driving, and a 20,000km full vehicle durability test. RAM Trucks Australia is the world’s only RAM-authorised manufacturer of right-hand drive RAM trucks.

The RAM TRX is priced from $199,950 RRP, with the only option being a full-length panoramic sunroof at an additional $10,000 RRP.

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (July 2022)

17 July 2022