This 2021 Ram 1500 TRX Left a Ford Raptor in the Dust
The unveiling of the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX brought a 702-hp supercharged pickup truck to the masses. While the TRX is an impressive off-roader, the Hellcat-powered pickup truck has incredible straight-line speed. To test this, the team over at The Fast Lane Truck decided to pit the newly-released Ram against some established competition from Ford and Chevy.
How does the Ram 1500 TRX stack up to its competitors?
While various well-known trucks are competing in this drag race, the Ram 1500 TRX is the favorite to win. With a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 under the hood, the total output is 702 hp. Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Next up in the lineup is a 2020 Ford Raptor. Unlike the Ram 1500 TRX, the Raptor counts on a twin-turbo V6 developing 450 hp. Power is also sent to all four wheels, except the Ford has a 10-speed automatic transmission.
To represent Chevy, the Fast Lane Truck brought out a 2020 Silverado 1500 Trail Boss. While a larger 6.2-liter V8 is available for the Silverado Trail Boss, the one participating in the drag race is equipped with the smaller 5.3-liter V8. Power is still a respectable 355 hp and is routed to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
In an odd twist of fate, the Ram 1500 TRX is indirectly competing with another Ram. The Ram 1500 Rebel joins the fold with its 5.7-liter V8 developing 395 hp.
The race follows the following structure. First, the Ram 1500 Rebel will duel with the Silverado Trail Boss. The winner of the first race will then face off against the Ford Raptor. The winner of the second race then gets to face the Ram 1500 TRX.
The Ram 1500 TRX left the rest in the dust
The first race conducted by The Fast Lane Truck was the Ram 1500 Rebel vs. the Chevy Silverado Trail Boss. Unsurprisingly, the more powerful Rebel took the win, albeit by not a huge margin. If the Chevy had featured the larger 6.2-liter engine, perhaps things would’ve been different.
From there, the Rebel lined up with the Ford Raptor for the second run. As you’d expect, the turbocharged low-end torque from the Raptor meant it shot immediately to the lead and held it all the way through the race. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that these races were conducted at a high altitude, favoring the turbocharged Raptor.
From there, it was time to face off against the powerful Ram 1500 TRX. Since the Ram’s engine is supercharged, it runs well even at high altitudes like the Ford. As a result, it is no secret that the 702-hp truck won by a country mile. Even from the start of the race, the TRX shot so far in front that the Raptor looked as if it was moving backward. However, a new version of the Raptor will soon level the playing field.
A 700 hp Ford Raptor is on the way
Unsurprisingly in such a competitive market, Ford has been testing what is rumored to be a Raptor developing over 700 hp. Since the Ram 1500 TRX develops 702-hp, Ford will need to go above and beyond to impress. As the rumor stands, the yet unannounced Raptor is said to carry the engine out of the Shelby GT500. While the supercharged V8 develops 760-hp in the GT500, rumors reported by The Fast Lane Truck suggest it will make 725 hp.
If the rumors are correct, the Shelby-powered Raptor should make its official debut sometime in 2021 as a 2022 model. At that point, the Raptor will have a true fighting chance against the TRX. For now, the Hellcat-powered truck is the king of the hill.
