Ram 1500 coming next year, TRX still on the wishlist

The next-generation Ram 1500 will touch down in Australia early next year, but the monster TRX has yet to be officially confirmed.

The new DT series 1500 will be sold alongside the current DS series, as Ram continues to do in the North American market.

There, the previous-generation 1500 wears the 1500 Classic name.

CarExpert understands the current 1500 will occupy the same price range it’s in now, while the new 1500 will carry a premium.

Ram Trucks Australia has yet to officially confirm pricing of the new model, which will be launched only in top-spec Limited trim.

The company has also yet to officially announce the arrival of the supercharged 6.2-litre V8-powered TRX.

“As the only official manufacturer of right-hand drive Rams in the world, Ram Trucks Australia enjoys a close relationship with our colleagues at Ram Trucks International in the US,” said a spokesperson for the Ateco Group, who manage Ram vehicles’ importation and re-engineering for right-hand drive.

“To that end, we have full visibility on the future product cycle and vehicles available to our market, which includes halo products like the TRX. While our focus is on the upcoming release of the all-new Ram 1500, we also look forward to sharing other exciting and significant announcements in 2021.”

While Queensland-based SCD American Vehicles confirmed a converted TRX for a December launch, Ram Trucks Australia is the only factory-backed company to re-engineer Ram models for right-hand drive in Australia.

Should a factory-backed TRX model come here, it’ll likely be a lower-volume model than the upcoming DT 1500.

In the US, the 1500 Limited is the most luxurious model in the Ram range and is available only with a crew-cab and with front bucket seats.

Standard equipment includes leather upholstery, wood trim, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, wireless phone charging and a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Options include semi-autonomous parking assist, a surround-view camera, and adaptive cruise control with stop/go.

Also available with rear-wheel drive, the Limited offers the full range of 1500 powertrains. These include a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre petrol V6, a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, and a naturally-aspirated 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine (294kW/555Nm) available both with and without Ram’s eTorque 48V mild-hybrid system.

The TRX will offer just one powertrain – a fire-breathing 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine with 520kW of power and 881Nm of torque, with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.