Have you ever found yourself drooling over all those fancy, off-road vehicles, each one hosting a driver at the wheel who doesn’t seem to have a care in the world? Maybe you dream of spending your weekends and holidays enjoying some off-road time of your own, but you have yet to find the vehicle that will truly meet your adventure needs. If you’ve ever found yourself wishing for a vehicle that’s perfect for the adventure enthusiast you are, then have I got the truck for you. Take a look at the brand new, 2021 Ram 1500 TRX.
With the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, no longer must you decide between fun and functional. Ram definitely outdid themselves this time. I must admit, even I am drooling over this bad boy, and I’m not normally a pickup truck kind of person. So what makes Ram’s new truck so great? Why are fans all over the world so excited about this 4-wheel drive, supercharged beauty? Why are off-roading enthusiasts chomping at the bit to get their hands on this 2021 Ram? The answer may surprise you – or it might just leave you chomping at the bit too.
2021 Ram 1500 TRX Specs
To begin, the supercharged Hellcat engine in the new Ram 1500 TRX packs an impressive 702 horsepower with no less than 650 lb-ft of torque, giving it a top speed of 118 mph. The TRX has a towing capacity of 8,100 lbs, which is 100 lbs more than the competing Ford F-150 Raptor. The all-terrain tires for this baby are the custom made Goodyear Wrangler Territory, featuring specialty treads for top performance over snow, mud, sand, and pavement. Finally, this truck boasts an impressive ground clearance of 11.5 inches and has 13 inches of suspension travel, proving there’s not much this truck can’t do.
When you take this truck from 0-60 in just 4.5 seconds, there will be no doubt as to its capability. Now that’s a truck I wouldn’t mind driving down the highway to work every day, and I’d definitely like to take a truck with this kind of power on a Baja-inspired run. But where does the TRX get all this power? The answer is in the supercharged V8 engine.
A Supercharged HEMI Hellcat
The secret to the power behind the 2021 Ram TRX is the supercharged HEMI V8 engine. You see, in a HEMI engine, the concave piston heads enable the engine’s mechanics to work faster as well as for an optimal mixture of fuel and oxygen, thus resulting in more power. In a supercharged engine, even more oxygen is pumped into the engine for the fuel to burn, and more fuel to burn equals a higher energy output. The unique design of the TRX supercharger allows all 650 lb-ft of torque to be supplied instantaneously, allowing the driver to take advantage of all 702 horsepower.
There’s a reason why this Hellcat engine has only been used high-performance vehicles such as the Dodge Charger and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk so far. This supercharged HEMI engine gives off a whole lot of oomph. The distinctive Hellcat engine in the TRX is, and I quote, “the most powerful factory-installed engine ever in a half-ton truck.” You’d be hard-pressed to achieve these kinds of performance levels without spending oodles of time and money custom building something yourself.
Specialty Drive Mode Options
Beyond the grand performance levels of the supercharged engine, what does the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX really offer the average driver? The answer, my friend, is in the distinct drive modes. These drive modes allow this daredevil pickup truck to go where no ordinary pickup has gone before. Let’s take a look at just a few of the available drive modes and what they can do for your next adventure.
Rock Crawling Mode – First up, we have rock crawling mode. This driving mode is probably my favorite of all the driving modes. The unique rock crawling mode gives the TRX access to an extra-low gear combined with a 50/50 torque split, resulting in a street-legal pickup truck that has all the strength, power, and control needed to navigate an extreme off-road trail. Rock crawling mode makes the Ram TRX the perfect weekend warrior Overlanding vehicle, or for an evening rock scramble.
Snow Mode – Since most of my weekend adventures involve snow, the snow mode of the 2021 Ram TRX is my next favorite driving mode. When the truck is in snow mode, its 45/55 torque split gives it the optimum power and traction control needed to navigate any amount of snow and ice – both on-road and off-road. Snow mode is the next best thing to putting a trax system on an ATV.
Mud/Sand Mode – The mud and sand mode of the Ram TRX is one of the most quickly thought of modes, perhaps because of the time of year the TRX began doing all its big promotions. Or perhaps because the sight of a pickup truck speeding through the desert with sand gives off a tough and rugged persona that appeals to the average TRX fan. With the mud and sand drive mode, drivers can speed through terrain of varying firmness without losing control, thanks to the 45/55 torque split and calibrated throttle management.
Baja Mode – When you think of the ultimate off-road adventure vehicle, the odds are good that Baja mode is what you’re picturing. Inspired by the famous Baja race held in Tijuana, Mexico, Baja mode is what allows adventurers to drive the TRX in a manner that gets it some air without damaging the truck’s suspensions. Baja mode reduces shift time by 68%, allowing the truck its maximum speed and steering power. This mode even allows moderate oversteering, so that pull off those high-speed drifts you’ve seen in the movies.
Sport Mode – Sport mode is likely going to be the most-used of all the drive modes due to the fact that pavement is still what gets most of us from point A to point B. Sport mode gives the TRX a tighter suspension, making it the perfect mode for performance driving on paved roads. Additionally, this drive mode gives the TRX an extra amount of stability for maximum safety.
Custom Mode – Custom mode is for the discerning driver who knows exactly what the truck needs to do, no matter the situation. With custom drive mode, drivers can customize everything about their driving experience from the torque split to the suspension firmness and more. While this mode won’t be useful to everybody, drivers who truly know what they’re doing will be thrilled to have this feature.
The Ram TRX – The Daredevil Vehicle for the Adventurer in You
When it comes to the best off-road, 4-wheel drive adventure truck, there’s no question that the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has all the others beat. And with the multiple, distinctive drive modes this crew cab pickup has, the TRX is truly the daredevil vehicle for everybody. Just hop in the front seat, determine your desired adventure, and get ready for the drive of your life.
