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Ram's cheeky swipe at Ford revealed: New Ram 1500 TRX literally eats the Raptor


You've got to hand it to Ram's marketing division, who are never afraid of taking a cheeky swipe at its competitors whenever they're launching a new product. Take the Ram 1500 TRX for example - so named (it's supposed to read as T-Rex) because the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the few dinosaurs capable of taking down a Raptor, at least if Jurassic Park is to be believed. 

The pun, in case you've missed it, is that the Ram 1500 TRX is here to take down Ford's Raptor product, namely the F-150 version in the USA, but also the Ranger Raptor here in Australia. 

But just in case that's still to subtle, Ram has decided to drive the point home courtesy of an Easter egg that will be built into every TRX model. 

Leaked images of the new truck's interior, courtesy of TFL Off Road - show not only a centre console with a traditional T-bar shifter - instead of the rotary dial common in new Rams - but an etching of an actual T-Rex bending down to eat a tiny Raptor, serving as a constant reminder for owners of just what they've purchased. 

A bold claim, sure, but on paper, the 1500 TRX can back it up. Reports out of the USA appear to confirm that the monstrous supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 fitted to the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk will make its way into TRX. That engine should produce around 522kW and 868Nm, which should be more than enough to make the TRX very fast indeed.

The TRX is also expected to have a stronger focus on on-road performance, too, with adjustable suspension, as well as the drive mode selector from the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which adds weight to the steering, adds throttle responsiveness and delivers a more aggressive pattern to the gearing.

And unsurprisingly, it’s got the Ateco Group’s Ram Trucks Australia very interested. Like the rest of the Ram fleet here, the vehicles would be imported into Australia in left-hand drive before being locally converted at Walkinshaw’s world-class facility in Victoria.

“There’s no shadow of a doubt that we would be open to investigating the opportunity to bring that vehicle to Australia. There’s no question,” a Ram Trucks spokesperson told CarsGuide.

“In Australian, performance cars are highly sort after, and if you put that against the positive acceptance we’ve had to our brand, then I think there would be a market for it.”