Lucas Bell 
With the debut of the Ram 1500 TRX, FCA have unleashed a whole new level of pickup truck madness on the world. With 702 horsepower under the hood via a 6.2L Hellcat V8, and tons of off-road focused hardware, the TRX is just about everything a full-size truck enthusiast could ask for. But as multiple companies, both new and established, pursue uncertain market demand of electric pickup trucks, the new T-Rex feels like a last dinosaur.
However, there’s more gravity and certainty tied with the future success of this Hellcat-powered truck than there arguably is of say, an electric Chevrolet Silverado or Ford F-150. FCA would go this route also, but according to Ram 1500 Senior Brand Manager Carl Lally, the timing doesn’t appear right.
“We’re not afraid to explore other powertrains, we’re certainly going to keep our ear to the ground and stay aware of what customers are looking for,” said Lally. “And if at some point in time that changes to something different then we’ll be sure to follow suit accordingly. But it’s fundamental to us that it’s not about chasing the (EV) trend, but about chasing what the customer really wants and providing it to them. That changes over time, but today it’s a supercharged 6.2L V8 that has them most excited.”
Fans online are already clamoring about the possibility of a non-Hellcat powered Ram 1500 TRX after seeing its $71,690 MSRP. And it appears FCA may just be willing to give us another TRX model to slot below the current range topper. We already know that the whole reason this new hellacious truck exists is because buyers wanted a V8-powered offering in the segment, and FCA listened. Should buyers put enough pressure on FCA for another Hemi-powered Ram 1500 TRX, the company could respond.
Rumors have suggested that a sub-Hellcat TRX model would be powered by the 392 Hemi V8 found in the Dodge muscle cars, which produces 485 horsepower in passenger car spec. This is still more horsepower than is available from the previous-gen F-150 Raptor, but far less than the amount expected from the rumored GT500-powered truck coming soon. Perhaps the lesser TRX will come in and replace the current Ram Rebel offering’s place in the lineup.
The fact that FCA even built the Ram 1500 TRX is awesome, but the fact that they are willing to listen to market demand for another truck is even better. While it may only remain a possibility for the time being, it is worth noting that automakers are generally very quiet when it comes to future product plans.
