New Ram TRX Prototype Spied Sounding Completely Bonkers, Giving Huge Hint for New Motor
The slow death of the V8 is inevitable. While some were always going to last longer than others, Ram’s supercharged 6.2-liter 702-hp V8 had to be somewhere near the top of the list for one of the first to go. Thanks to some spy footage captured by our friends at Road & Track, we get to remain hopeful that the next Ram TRX will still get down. The giveaway in the footage is the completely bonkers noise the engine makes. If you were expecting the lope of a V8, think again. That sounds like the six-cylinder Hurricane.
Video footage captures Ram TRX Prototype making some wild sounds
Stellantis has yet to confirm that the new TRX will get the Hurricane, but this video all but seals the deal. First of all, that’s an I6 if we ever heard one. Secondly, Stellantis doesn’t really offer many other I6s that would be worthy of powering the Ram TRX.
As everyone pours over the footage to try and figure out what Stellantis is up to, we have some logic to work through. The Hurricane only makes 510 hp. While that amount of power is nothing to shake a stick at, The Drive points out that there’s no way Ram makes a less powerful TRX, especially when we have to assume whatever new TRX comes out next will probably be more expensive than the last. This means Stellantis must have some hot new take on the Hurricane.
What’s so strange about Ram using an I6?
Plenty of trucks have six-cylinders or even smaller four-cylinders. There is nothing strange about that at all. What is bizarre about this Ram TRX clip is that this clearly highly-tuned and powerful I6 makes for a confusing video for us car nerds. We see a Ram TRX, and our minds go, “Here comes the rumbling V8,” and it doesn’t happen. Instead, it sounds like a Nissan GT-R cracking down the highway.
This is a little bit of cognitive dissonance for those who grew up listening to giant pickup trucks rumble under the power of a V8. That said, once you get over the shock, the new Ram TRX prototype does sound pretty good. In fact, I’d say it sounds better than any other Hurricane-powered car I’ve heard. There’s a proper exhaust note here.
How will this affect the Ford Raptor and Ram TRX rivalry?
Everything the Ram TRX does must be measured by the Ford Raptor. These two vehicles have more beef than any other automotive rivals I can think of. Sure, people have been fighting about Ford Vs. Chevy for decades, but Ford and Chevy don’t build insults into the cars. The Ford Raptor and Ram TRX are both full of easter eggs talking trash about the rival truck.
The reason this is relevant is that many people fear losing the beefy V8 as it might allow for to take the lead in the supertruck battle. The Ford Raptor has used a six-cylinder since 2017. With the Raptor R package, buyers can upgrade to Ford‘s 5.2-liter Supercharged V8 engine. So maybe the Ram TRX will follow suit in offering additional options.
While the specs and size of Ford’s V6 have changed over the years, Ford has a bit of a headstart here. However, Ram isn’t likely to put out a TRX with an I6 that isn’t hotter than a cheap muffler. The stakes are too high. I would think that if Ram feels good about an I6 in the TRX, then maybe we should, too.
