Ram definitely stole the show at the 2016 Texas State Fair with its Ram Rebel TRX Concept. Other truck brands were out in force, but it was Ram and its Hellcat-powered Rebel 1500 that drew crowds. Yep, you read that right – this truck is powered by the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 most commonly called the Hellcat V-8. Okay, so Ram powertrain engineers had to dial back the power and torque to more manageable level to keep from breaking axles and whatnot, but this beast still puts down 575 horsepower to all four wheels.

Oh, and speaking of wheels, this truck features massive, 37-inch Toyo Open Country MT tires wrapping 18-inch beadlock wheels. Hidden behind is a custom off-road racing suspension from King with remote reservoir shocks, a six-inch wider track, and beefy control arms.

There’s a ton more stuff that makes up the 2017 Ram Rebel TRX Concept, so let’s dig into it.

Continue reading for the full run-down.

Exterior

The truck’s mechanicals are accentuated by its looks – that intimidating look. The truck started life as a Rebel 1500 but was given a full makeover by Ram designers. The hood features a clever Ram air induction system (which Ram would be dumb not to capitalize on in the future) widened fenders with vents and cool graphics, and a custom-built spare tire carrier in the bed that doubles as a light bar for the LED off-road lights and as rollover protection.

Custom bumpers front and rear give the truck both a mean stance and functionality. The bumpers come complete with red-painted tow hooks for vehicle recovery and skid plates for off-road protection.

Painted a candy-apple red, the Ram Rebel TRX Concept shines brightly in the daylight while its matt-black accents give it a more sinister appearance. The widened fenders also have flares that help protect the paint work from flying off-road debris like rocks and mud. The driver side rear fender also features the fuel fill port. It gets a custom treatment with a racing-style aluminum cap with red anodized aluminum trim.

A custom bedrail cap system provides tie-down spots for cargo in the bed. They horizontal hoops also look awesome. The custom tire carrier also has a built-in spot for a jack, giving the driver an easy solution for quick mid-race tire changes. Those tires also match the Toyo mud tires on the truck and the six-spoke beaklock wheels.

Custom graphics and badging further helps distinguish this truck from anything else ever produced. The TRX logo rides boldy on the rear quarter panels while the massive R-A-M logo on the tailgate gets a red and black treatment. A badge reading REBEL TRX resides opposite a 4x4 badge lower down on the tailgate.

Up front, the stock Rebel grille gets anodized aluminum accents on the RAM logo, along with matching accents around the tow hooks and LED fog lights. Those vents integrated into the widened fenders also hide side marker lights since the truck is more than 80 inches wide. Even this B.A. truck can’t break federal law.

The hood features even more goodies, including a ram air scoop that feeds the supercharged V-8. Heat extractors along the sides of the hood, as well as along the windshield, help relieve the engine bay of power-robbing temperatures.

Last but certainly not least, side pipes dump exhaust just ahead of the rear tire. The pipes also double as rock sliders that protect the body from off-road damage. All tol, the Ram Rebel TRX Concept is an awesome looking beast that Ram should strongly consider taking into production. Sure, there’ll be things that can make it past the bean counters or safety regulations, but man, this truck deserves to see showrooms. It would also give the Ford F-150 Raptor a run for its money.

Interior

Inside the Ram Rebel TRX Concept, Ram designers had fun going all-out with details and little signature items that make this thing a one-off piece of work. The same anodized aluminum that trims the exterior is brought inside. It can be found on the gear shifter, dash-mounted knobs, and other spots around the cab.

First off, the truck now sports an Alcantara-covered steering wheel stolen from the Dodge Viper. Its red contrast stitching is seen throughout the cabin, including the suede seats, shifter boot, and door pull grabs. Speaking of that shifter, Ram designers dumped the conventional dash-mounted rotary shifter in favor of a more traditional console shifter. Not only does this look awesome, but it frees up space for Ram’s new terrain mode selector switch, riding where the gear knob normally sits. The shifter sports those red anodized aluminum accents and allows control of the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. Large paddle shifters on the steering wheel further allow driver control of the automatic.

The seats are also custom, allowing for full six-point racing harnesses in all four seating positions. The racing theme continues with the addition of pull-strap door handles that replace the normal chrome units. Auxiliary rocker switches reside just below the HVAC controls. They operate things like the LED light bar. There’s even a custom tool kit pouch that rides perfectly inside the passenger side dashboard compartment.

Ram designers knew the truck would be used for off-roading, so they removed the carpet, replacing it with spray-on bedliner material for durability and sound deadening. Nevertheless, original Ram features can be seen, like the 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment screen, automatic dual-zone climate control, seven-inch FTF gauge cluster display and analog gauges for the driver.

Drivetrain

Of course, part of the biggest news is the truck’s drivetrain. As I mentioned before, the Ram Rebel’s conventional powertrain is swapped for the infamous 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat Hemi V-8. Engineers had to pull power and torque levels down from 707 horses and 650 pound-feet to more modest levels. This keeps things like the custom-length front half shafts, longer rear axle, and BorgWarner transfer case from blowing up under hard acceleration. Ram says the truck now makes 575 horsepower. Torque levels weren’t announced, but we figure it’ll be around 550 pound-feet. That’ll still be more than enough power for moving the Rebel TRX Concept past any Raptor in the desert.

Mated to the V-8 is the familiar ZF eight-speed automatic, otherwise known as the TorqueFlite 8HP70. Engineers included paddle shifters to give the driver more control over manual shifting. Mated behind that is BorgWarner’s 44-45 two-speed transfer case.

Controlling the engine, transmission, traction and stability control systems, and anti-lock brakes is Ram’s first-ever terrain mode selector system. The dash-mounted rotary dial, which lives where the gear selector dial normally resides, gives the driver the choice between Normal, Wet/Snow, Off-Road, and Baja modes. Each change the way the ECU and traction system deliver power and how aggressive the ABS system works. We fully expect to see this type of system make production in a future Ram product.

Suspension wise, the truck features a wider track by six inches. This gives the Rebel a better stance for high-speed maneuvers on unpaved surfaces. All the suspension components are beefed up with high-strength parts built to take a beating. The 2.5-inch diameter shock absorbers are from King and feature an external reservoir cylinder to help keep oil temperatures down. Ram engineers retained the truck’s independent front suspension design and live rear axle with its multi-link coil spring setup.

And of course, those tires. They measure 37 inches in diameter and mount on exclusive 18-inch beadlock wheels. The beadlock design allows the driver to lower tire pressures without fear of the tire slipping off the wheel. The tires themselves are Toyo Open Country MT and offer an aggressive tread design without a compromised on-road driving experience.

Last but not least is the electronic locking rear differential. With the push of a button, the rear diff locks the axle together, allowing for no variation in wheel speed from side to side. While making turns on pavement extremely unpleasant, it affords a tremendous advantage in low-traction environments like mud and sand.

Performance numbers should be fairly impressive. The sprint to 60 mph will likely happen in the 5.5 to 6.5 second range and top speed is undoubtedly well over 100 mph. Ram even calls the Rebel TRX Concept a 100-mph truck.

Conclusion

Ram has done an amazing job at attracting attention with this concept. From the candy apple paint and custom body work to the Hellcat-derived powertrain and 37-inch tires, the Rebel TRX Concept is a bold step in the direction so many Ram enthusiasts hope to see the brand pursue. Ram is undoubtedly using this truck to gauge consumer interest in such a high-end product. In customers and fans – YOU GUYS – make enough commotion about this truck, Ram could see a business case in building such a rig.

Let’s hope Ram does because this sucker would definitely give the Ford Raptor a run for its money. Chevy is probably getting nervous, too, since it’s just on the verge of debuting its Colorado ZR2 pickup – the hard-core off-road version of its mid-size offering. Man, it’s a fantastic time to be a truck enthusiast.