Spotted: a Ram 1500 TRX

The Dodge Ram was never officially delivered in the Netherlands, but through gray imports the model is so popular that you would almost think so. Certainly the later models you see quite a lot, especially in the rural regions of our country. Since 2009, by the way, it has not been a Dodge Ram, but simply a Ram. In fact, “Ram” became a stand-alone commercial vehicle brand within the Chrysler group (now absorbed into Stellantis). Most common in the Netherlands is the “lightest” version, the Ram 1500, with double cab.

The spotted specimen

Here you see a Ram 1500 that was first registered in late 2022 and has been in the Netherlands since early 2023. Not looking at the photos, based on the RDW data, you’d say this is an ordinary Ram 1500 … until you click through to the technical data tab. This is no ordinary Ram 1500, but a Ram 1500 TRX.

Ram 1500 TRX is superlative

The Ram 1500 TRX was added to the lineup for the 2021 model year as a counterpart to the Ford F-150 Raptor. Raptor, TRX, you get the point. It began in 2016 with the Ram Rebel TRX. After positive feedback from potential customers, the concept car was developed into the 2021 production model, based on the now-new model generation Ram. Whereas the Ford has to make do with an already not bad 3.5-liter V6 with 486 kW (656 hp), the Ram surpasses it with a 6.2-liter V8 with a whopping 523 kW (712 hp).

Visually, the Ram 1500 TRX is instantly recognizable by the wider wheel arches, functional air intake on the hood (with typical American orange wide-body lights) and, of course, the necessary TRX markings. Anyone concerned about what comes out of the exhaust can rest easy: due to tightened emissions requirements for new vehicles, production will soon cease after the end of model year 2024.

Ram 1500 TRX has hefty price tag

It may be grey license plate (read: exempt from VAT and bpm), but this toy is still far from free. According to the RDW, this example has a list price of 168,009 euros. Nice that someone brought one to the Netherlands after all. Our colleague Bart came across it in Etten-Leur. The Ram seems to be in a neighborhood where more people with good “car taste” live, because in the background we also spot the current Jeep Grand Cherokee. A car we have unfortunately encountered very rarely in the wild.