Ram TRX Returns With 777 Horsepower but 35-Inch Tires Limit It to 118 MPH

The revived 2027 Ram 1500 TRX SRT has the power output of an exotic car, yet its maximum speed is governed by a comparatively ordinary constraint: tire capability. Ram’s supercharged pickup produces 777 horsepower, but its 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires are rated for 118 mph, which is also the truck’s electronically enforced limit.

That boundary illustrates the central engineering tension in the returning TRX. It must accelerate a stated 6,349-pound pickup, absorb substantial suspension movement on rough ground and remain comfortable enough for public roads. Ram claims it can reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds using launch control, but the chassis and tires are configured around off-road control rather than unrestricted top speed. A rumored 150-mph capability without the limiter has not been confirmed and should not be treated as a vehicle specification.

Supercharged V8 power returns

After a two model year absence, the TRX returns with an SRT badge and a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 producing 777 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque. A 2.4-liter supercharger feeds the engine, while an eight-speed automatic transmission sends power through a full-time four wheel drive system.

The new output is 75 horsepower above the previous 702-horsepower TRX. Additional technical details reported by MotorWeek include a revised valvetrain, higher fuel pressure, a smaller supercharger pulley and updated engine-management software. Those changes help explain why the returning truck gains power without abandoning the previous model’s basic engine architecture.

The acceleration claim is striking because of the truck’s mass, but it remains a manufacturer figure rather than an independently measured result from this first drive. The governed top speed is likewise significant for what it says about systems integration. Engine output alone does not set a production vehicle’s safe operating envelope; tire speed rating, heat generation, load, aerodynamics and intended use all influence the final limit.

Long-travel suspension carries the real workload

The TRX uses Bilstein Blackhawk e2 adaptive dampers, progressive jounce control and a five-link rear suspension. Ram lists 13 inches of front suspension travel and 14 inches at the rear. Adaptive damping allows the system to alter its response as conditions change, helping reconcile relatively soft road behavior with the wheel control needed over large bumps and landings.

Motor1 drove the truck on public roads and on a prepared dirt course near the Red Bud motocross facility in Buchanan, Michigan. The controlled course included corners, whoops, a small jump and a 100-foot tabletop. The reviewer reported that the TRX repeatedly cleared the tabletop and remained operational after some drivers contacted the ground with the front skid plate.

On pavement, the same review found a cushy highway ride and a fairly quiet cabin. Heavy steering around town was the main handling drawback identified. That steering weight is a practical reminder that 35-inch tires, long suspension travel and off road oriented running gear impose consequences in routine use, even when adaptive dampers can moderate ride harshness.

These observations describe one controlled first drive, not a durability test. Repeated jumps during a manufacturer-prepared event can demonstrate suspension behavior under those conditions, but they do not establish long-term component life, maintenance requirements or performance across every surface and load case.

Six-figure pricing and an unmeasured fuel penalty

The cabin combines a 12.3-inch instrument display, a 14.5-inch Uconnect 5 center screen and a 10-inch head-up display, with seating for five. That equipment helps position the TRX as both a high-performance machine and a premium crew-cab pickup rather than a stripped competition vehicle.

Its exact base price is less clear. The first-drive narrative lists $102,790, while its closing specification table gives $102,290. Because those figures conflict, the defensible conclusion is simply that the reviewed TRX is a six-figure truck. The Bloodshot Night appearance package adds a listed $9,995 for distinct paintwork, wheels and carbon trim.

Heavy fuel use was also identified as a drawback, although the first drive supplied no measured consumption result or official economy figure. That missing number matters: the supercharged V8’s operating cost is part of the tradeoff purchased with 777 horsepower, just as heavy low-speed steering accompanies the off-road tire and suspension package.

The returning TRX therefore pairs extraordinary acceleration with deliberately bounded speed. Its engine can deliver 777 horsepower, but the complete vehicle including the tires responsible for supporting, steering and stopping more than three tons sets the final 118-mph ceiling.

By Thomas Caldwell — AMI’s senior editor for mechanical and mobility engineering, covering vehicle electronics, systems integration, electrification, chassis systems, propulsion, and safety policy.