The Ram 1500 SRT TRX’s return was inevitable, but it wasn’t going to make an entrance without a hefty power boost to beat the Ford F-150 Raptor R.
Happy New Year, everyone! Ready to start things off with a bang? Or how about some supercharger whine with a V8 backdrop?
For a little while, it looked like we were going to lose the Hemi V8 forever…and that included Ram sacrificing the supercharged TRX in the process. In doing so, it would cede the super truck competition to Ford, whose F-150 Raptor R had the market all to itself…but things have changed. The Hemi is back, both in the standard Ram 1500 trucks and the flagship TRX. Only this time, Ram’s Raptor R rival isn’t just packing more power. It’s packing the SRT badge, too.
You see, the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX isn’t returning in a vacuum. It’s part of a broader revival of the SRT performance division, which was also shelved in what Mopar die-hards are sure to call the dark times. We’ve seen quite a few changes in the past year-and-a-bit though, as Stellantis took on a new CEO and company veteran Tim Kuniskis returned from his brief retirement to lead the Ram brand and, in the process, create the first SRT-branded truck we’ve seen in two decades, since the Viper-powered SRT10. And this new Ram 1500 SRT TRX is definitely packing enough power to deserve the badge.
The new TRX is even more powerful and faster than before…obviously.
Did Ram just slap a new coat of paint on the TRX in the form of refreshed styling and call it a day? No, of course not, because the new model has to one-up the Ford F-150 Raptor R. And on paper, it does, as the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 under the hood now churns out 777 horsepower and 680 lb-ft of torque. That’s a boost of 75 horsepower and 40 lb-ft from the 2024 model, and enough for Ram to claim bragging rights over its nemesis (at least for now).
With that extra grunt, the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX now claims a 0-60 time of just 3.5 seconds, down from the official 4.5 second figure of the old truck. That said, it is still tire-limited to 118 mph, even if it is capable of getting there faster.
Like before, the TRX still packs a 2.4-liter twin-screw supercharger, fed by a dual-path induction system through the side of the grille opening and that signature hood scoop to cram in as much air as possible to make that extra power. The revised TRX also gets a dual exhaust system, an updated version of the ZF-sourced TorqueFlite 8HP95 8-speed automatic transmission and a full-time four-wheel drive system courtesy of a BorgWarner 48-13 transfer case with 4WD auto and high/low locking functionality for more technical off-roading as well as high-speed running.
On the ground clearance front, the TRX matches the RHO, at 11.8 inches, with the same approach, breakover and departure angles of 31 degrees, 25.2 degrees and 21.8 degrees respectively.
Behind the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX’s set of 35-inch all-terrain tires, there’s a set of Bilstein Black Hawk e2 adaptive performance shocks, just like you’d find on the twin-turbocharged RHO. Those are part of Ram’s Active Terrain Dynamics suspension management system, which tunes ride comfort and body control across the various drive modes. Ram also claims improved urethane bump stops and three-stage hydraulic jounce control shock internals to handle “extreme compression events”, should you feel like jumping your six-figure super truck and hit the end of the 13 inches of suspension travel up front, and 14 inches in the back.
It’s not just more power — the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX gets more toys, too.
Since it’s only been out of circulation for a year, you’d expect the new TRX to roll out with the same level of features and technology as the 2024 model. Broadly speaking, that’s correct, though this version did pick up another new trick from the RHO: Level 2 hands-free driving capability. Ram pitches this tech as something that turns the TRX into even more of a Swiss Army knife, as “a thrilling chariot and relaxing chauffeur”, to the extent that buyers of the brand’s latest super truck wants it to drive them, instead of the other way around.
The idea with a Level 2 system is that it’s “hands-off, eyes-on”, similar to GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise systems. To that end, there’s an infrared camera positioned just above the steering wheel to ensure drivers are paying attention and ready to take over, even as their hands are off the wheel and their feet are off the pedals. As part of the press kit outlining the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX, Ram notes it’s the only manufacturer to currently offer this capability on its high-performance, gas-powered off-road trucks. Right now, that’s technically true, as the Ford F-150 Raptor R does not support BlueCruise, even though the rest of the F-150 range does.
It’s worth noting this feature is standard on the new TRX as part of the Advanced Safety Group that also includes a 360-degree camera and a raft of other driver aides like Evasive Steer Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and Drowsy Driver Detection (as annoying as that last one can be sometimes).
Beyond the driver assistance tech, the new TRX packs a 14.5-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment system, as well as a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 10-inch head-up display. Full leather interior surfaces, heated/ventilated/massaging seats, dual wireless charging pads and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system also come as part of the TRX’s standard feature kit.
You can’t have a new headline truck without a special edition, right?
Anytime Stellantis debuts a new model, you always have to wonder “when is the special edition coming along”? Ram is taking the guesswork out of this launch, as you’re getting a special model right off the bat. Alongside your standard TRX, there’s the red-and-black Bloodshot Night Edition, if you need to be even more hardcore.
The optional package brings in a two-tone effect with a ‘Blacktop’ exterior upper section in Diamond Black Crystal Pearl Coat, for a start. You also get a painted Flame Red stripe down the center, a bodyside splash graphic, a glass-encased center console badge (shown below), red-accented carbon fiber trim and red-outlined TRX badging. To that, you get a different set of 18-inch beadlock-capable wheels in Satin Black, with the beadlock rings finished in Satin Titanium.
We don’t know exactly how much the Bloodshot Night Edition will cost just yet. The TRX itself is already an expensive proposition, so expect this special edition package to set you back a couple thousand or so more. Features like the Trailer Tow Group that adds an integrated brake controller and towing mirrors, as well as the Bed Utility Group with tiedown hooks, a bed step and a 115V outlet, and the Trailer Technology Package will also be extra-cost options when the Ram 1500 SRT TRX rolls out later this year.
I think I get the picture…how much is this all going to cost me?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that all sounds great, huh? Ram’s coming up all 7’s with that 777 horsepower (in your face, Ford!), a supercar-worrying 0-60 time and the classic Hemi V8 power we all know and love, updated to the revamped truck’s electrical architecture for a new era. But with the Ford F-150 Raptor R commanding $113,525, you know the competing 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX isn’t going to be cheap…
And you’re right, it isn’t. It is, however, still less expensive than its rival, coming in at $102,590*, including what now passes for a “reasonable” destination fee of $2,595. (On a side note: yikes.) Strip that fee away and the MSRP comes out to $99,995, so the TRX is nice and marketable in the sense that it technically comes in under $100K, if only just.
“But why is there an asterisk on that number?”, I hear you ask. You know why.
The 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX is due out in the second half of 2026, packing a price tag that actually promises a huge amount of punch for the money…assuming you can get it at MSRP. That’s the rub: Unless you get an order in posthaste and actually snipe one at that $102,590 launch figure, I have little faith some dealers won’t mark these trucks up into the stratosphere. Sure, Ram may advertise that figure, but what will it look like when you head down to your local dealer? I wouldn’t be shocked to see price tags totaling $130,000 or more on the early examples. Is it scummy? Absolutely, but some folks out there assume you’ll want the truck enough to spend an extra $25K with the so-called “market adjustment” because of pent-up demand.
To be clear, dealers can broadly charge whatever they think customers will pay. I also hope I’m wrong in that interpretation and you can 100% get one of these trucks at MSRP, because it will undoubtedly be even more badass than the old TRX. I just wouldn’t hold my breath, and want you to go into this launch with your eyes wide open.
We obviously have yet to drive the new 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX, but Andre did get hands-on in Detroit, and you can check out all the details in the video below. We’ll have much more to share soon, so stay tuned. There’s also another (sort of) surprise debut Ram had up its sleeve for the new year, which you can check out over here.
