RAM’s 5-Year Plan Includes Rebel TRX To Fight F-150 Raptor, New Mid-size Pickup

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has confirmed that it will indeed bring the 2015 Ram TRX pickup to the production line alongside a new mid-size pickup, a new Heavy Duty version and a replacement to its ProMaster City small commercial van.

Speaking in Italy at an event which saw Sergio Marchionne lay out his final plans for FCA, Ram brand head Mike Manley said the TRX will directly target the Ford F-150 Raptor.

Ram asserts that one reason behind the TRX’s creation is to increase the marque’s average transaction price. According to Manley, average transaction prices of the F-150 Raptor are $28,000 above Ford’s average in the pickup segment. Ram wants in on the party.

The automaker hasn’t announced any specifics other than the fact that the Rebel TRX will use a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine. According to reports, this will be the same mill as the Challenger Hellcat and Charger Hellcat and therefore deliver an equal 707 hp and 650 lb-ft. If this engine does indeed power the TRX, it will offer performance well beyond the Raptor and its 450 hp, 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. Ram’s only challenge will be ensuring that the TRX isn’t any more expensive than the Ford.

The more off-road pickups, the better.

In competing with the F-150 Raptor, the Ram Rebel TRX will also have to face off against the Z71 and AT4 versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra as well as the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

If the road-going Rebel TRX looks like the concept, it will include a bold front fascia with a dedicated skid plate and tow hooks. Additionally, it could receive a roof-mounted LED light bar, bespoke off-road wheels and tires, flared arches, and a custom bed.

Ram hasn’t said when the extreme off-road pickup will launch.

What else did RAM confirm?

By 2022, RAM will introduce an all-new version of their ProMaster City small van alongside an all-new Heavy Duty full size truck. The brand’s boss Mike Manley also told investors that RAM will enter the mid-size pickup truck market with a new product to compete against GM’s Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, as well as Ford’s new Ranger. He did not say if the new model would resurrect the Dakota moniker.