The “fastest, most powerful” pick-up arrives in New Zealand

The fastest, most-powerful mass-produced truck is the call Ram Trucks is shouting out across the land of the long white cloud, with the American brand’s 1500 TRX model officially arriving in New Zealand.

What is now the halo model for Ram in the local market, the TRX packs plenty of power and space, towering over most utes on the road in terms of size and rugged capability.

By far the highlight of the TRX is its 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8 that produces an earth-shattering 523kW and 882Nm, accelerating the truck from 0 to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds and helping it reach a top speed of 190km/h.

Power is fed through a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission which is then sent to either the rear or all four wheels through the TRX’s four-wheel drive transfer case.

To give the truck increased off-road ability, it has been fitted with active damping suspension inspired by desert racers and incorporates forged aluminium front upper and lower control arms. Front and rear purpose-built shocks are provided by Bilstein, allowing for fast reaction time and improved heat dissipation.

Large Goodyear Wrangler Territory 325/65/R18 all-terrain 35-inch tyres come as standard, sure to provide plenty of grip both on and off the beaten path.

On the exterior, a functional hood scoop takes charge of 50 per cent of the air sucked into the Hemi V8, filtering through what Ram says is the largest air filter in the segment. The remaining 50 per cent enters through the front grille.

New composite fender flares have been pumped to create what is essentially a wide body to house the beefed up suspension components, while giving the pick-up an “hourglass” body shape.

Inside, an expanse of cabin space can be found that makes use of a range of materials including hand-wrapped leather instrument panels. A new flat-bottom steering wheel with aluminium paddle shifters empahsises its off-road racer nature.

The centre console includes plenty of space for storage, a performance-oriented shifter, wireless charging dock and five USBs, including Type A and C ports.

Infotainment is handled by a portrait mounted 12-inch touchscreen that blasts audio through a 900-watt, 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

A new Baja drive mode calibrates the four-wheel drive and steering systems, stability control, paddle shifters and suspension to tackle any sand dunes or rough terrain that lay in your way.

“The TRX sets new benchmarks for extreme performance trucks and confirms the Australasian market as a true success story for RAM Trucks,” said Neville Crichton, Chairman of the Ateco Group, owners of RAM Trucks Australia and New Zealand.

Priced from $249,990, the Ram 1500 TRX seems to be a force to be reckoned with.