Quit Teasing: Make the Ram 1500 Hellcat
Can we have an honest discussion? We don't want lots of yelling with two sides frozen in their trenches, unmoved by passion or logic. We get enough of that from the news. We want open-mindedness here and a thoughtful exchange of ideas in the comments section below.
Ready for the topic? Should there be a supercharged 700-plus-horsepower engine under the hood of a full-size pickup truck?
We've made this pitch before, but now, given all the fun we had with the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon at the 2017 New York International Auto Show, it's time to get serious.
On its face, this might seem like a simple idea — and maybe one that a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles bean counter might have some trouble with — but think of all that throaty torque just waiting to spin the rear wheels of a half-ton pickup. If you must, give the pickup the same all-wheel-drive system in the Jeep. Of course, while the Jeep is rated at 707 hp and 645 pounds-feet of torque, I'm pretty sure Ram engineers will (have to) find a way to reverse those numbers and possibly bump them up a bit.
So Ram, enough with the teasing: Make it so!
If heavy-duty diesel buyers can get 900-plus pounds-feet of torque from their Ford Power Stroke, Ram and Nissan Cummins, and GM Duramax engines, why can't a half-ton gas V-8 get a bit less than that? It almost seems properly balanced to give the light-duty trucks more horsepower and the HDs more torque.
We'd love to see a Ram 1500 Hellcat or Trackhawk — we don't care what it's called — because that would signal the return of the sporty muscle truck (or is that a muscle sports truck?). That means Ram could once and for all crush the memories of the Ford F-150 SVT Lightning and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 SS muscle pickups while possibly breaking the Dodge Ram SRT-10's Guinness World Record for top speed for a pickup.
For now, we'll all just have to sit on our hands and wait for someone at FCA — Hey, Jim Morrison, head of Ram, what are you waiting for?! — to give this pickup the green light and make a giant splash at the 2017 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas or the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Attention Ram Nation fans who have been screaming at this post for the last 30 seconds: We are fully aware that we've already seen and heard a pretty cool version of this engine in the Ram Rebel TRX off-road monster concept first seen at the 2016 State Fair of Texas and again at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. We're simply not sure Ram has the courage to let something like that out of the design studio. We've seen plenty of spectacular concepts from the Jeep boys, whose design studio is next door to Ram's, that have never seen the light of day. We're guessing the TRX is going to fall into that black hole, too.
For now, feel free to sound off about what pickup platform you'd like to see FCA's supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 sitting inside. And if you have a few thoughts to share with Ram, feel free to offer them — without expletives, please — in our comments section below.
Cars.com photos by Mark Williams
Comments
I had a 74 short bed Power Wagon with a 440 in it back in 1976, it was da bomb. Drove it for 10 years. I could see pulling up next to a Ram Rebel and feel the ground shake, that would be cool. I would like too see Ram come out with a truck to compete against the Ridgeline. I'm not sold on the twins and my mid-size truck is getting long in the tooth.Something that rides like a car, gets good gas mileage, with stow capabilities like the Ridgelineand has a little ground clearance.
"If heavy-duty diesel buyers can get 900-plus pounds-feet of torque from their Ford Power Stroke, Ram and Nissan Cummins, and GM Duramax engines, why can't a half-ton gas V-8 get a bit less than that?"
More truly embarrassing misinformation. The Nissan Cummins is a 5.0L V8 that doesn't come anywhere close to the 900+ lb-ft of the Ram's Cummins B6.7, Ford's Powerstroke, or GM's Duramax engines.
As for why there's no Ram 1500 Hellcat? Let's use common sense for a change. The Challenger. Charger and Grand Cherokee can all be made much closer to a 50/50 weight distribution because there's plenty of weight from the body over the rear axle. A Ram 1500 has a big empty bed, and that kind of power would require so much electronic management to prevent constant fishtailing, it wouldn't be worth it. Chrysler learned this from the Ram SRT-10 with the Viper powerplant.
"So Ram, enough with the teasing: Make it so!"
Mark, you know darn well you're not buying one, so stop asking.
Hell ya, make a Rebel and Power Wagon version. Make a 2 wheel drive super truck as well. Why not? Finish the line off. The good news is people will be able to build their own version with crate motors and junk yard motors.
@Lou, This will be my next truck!
The good news is people will be able to build their own version with junk yard parts.
Posted by: HEMI V8 | Apr 20, 2017 5:42:51 PM
Good idea!
Do it Ram, lets watch other old school push rod v8 crush another so call high tech Ford engine into the ground HAHAHAHA! Bet even the hellcat truck could out MPG that junk v6 Ford has!
lol!!!
HAHAHAHA!
Yes, make a noisy, thirsty 707hp pickup dinosaur so the tesla pickup has something to embarrass.
It will be like the video of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT trying to race a sports car. Keeps up until it runs out of fuel lol. Let's just start moving over to electric. I agree with Ken obviously.
Yes, please do it and I will buy one! This could be even better than the SRT-10 from 2004-2006. Just make sure you build a quad cab version too (like the SRT-10 from 2005-2006).
You already have the proof of concept, the Rebel TRX. So putting the idea of a Hellcat sport truck into production could be done. So just go and do it!
Definitely build the Rebel TRX PLEASE.. It will complete the trio in my garage...( Well when the Demon is finally here) next to the Power Wagon. Just hurry up and build it...
I am hearing from my buddy at R&D at ford that a limited Ecoboost coyote V8 Raptor is on its way. Over 500 hp and over 600 torque. Sweet. Just drove a Ram 5.7 rental all week and the drone from the deactivating cylinders drove me crazy. what is up with that?
and by doing that it gave me an extra mpg..woo hoo.
Keeps up until it runs out of fuel lol. Let's just start moving over to electric. I agree with Ken obviously.
Posted by: Alex | Apr 20, 2017 7:04:39 PM
You will run out of extension cord sooner.
Re-Introduce the Chrysler 440 engine for the 1500 Ram. What more is there to say?
@terry
Ford Raptor won't handle axle wrap with that kind of power and torque.
What more is there to say?
@papajim--I'd like to drive a hybrid, but I'm not sure its for me. I just want to drive a good looking whip with really great mpg's.
"Can we have an honest discussion? We don't want lots of yelling with two sides frozen in their trenches, unmoved by passion or logic. We get enough of that from the news. We want open-mindedness here and a thoughtful exchange of ideas in the comments section below."
Crazier things have happened...
The issue... again and again... is that trucks have grown too heavy to try to be sporty. You just cant toss that much weight around in anything other than a straight line. It also becomes exceedingly difficult to control brake temperatures. The obstacles can be overcome, but no one is going to pay $100k for a "sporty" version of a Ram or F150
I truly, am hoping for the TRX, but a fully loaded one, lets face it most of us want the creature comforts we have become accustomed to in our rams, and 90 percent of my driving would be on pavement, with weekend jaunts up into the mountains. Please Ram build us a FLTRX.
If Ram were to build the Rebel TRX with that engine, I'd buy it or better yet put it in the Power Wagon. They can build 2 versions of the truck, a street muscle truck and an off road truck.
Have a matching driveline to match that can handle all the HP and torque.
Get Er Done Ram. Anything is possible if the timing is right.
@Papa Jim: A 440? We build 408s from 360s, 417 from 340s, and you can get the larger stroke crank and get a 426 small block, with heads available to outflow 440 heads.
440s are HEAVY.
I can see a 6.4 Scat Pack engine in a 1500 Sport being good, but I can see the Hellcat engine being a nuisance in a 1500, at least when AWD is not used.
Got to laugh at the Car and Driver review where they tested a crew cab 4x4 F-150, and @75 mph, with the 10 speed, I believe they got 18 mpg! Wow, nothing to write home about, when it was rated at 22 or 23 highway! Should get 20 mpg all day, but maybe not...
One regular cab short box with lowered (magnetic) suspension please.
@trx4tom
have you ever seen an alloy head & block 440? A design that leverages the popular 440's casting and process technology could be quickly brought to market without great cost. Offer it as an option for the Ram 1500 and in the secondary market as a crate motor.
Nothing but fun.
Yup, but alloy heads can be bolted on to the small blocks as well.
Still, it's near 120 pounds.
Hemi already has the alloy heads, so I doubt you see 440 anywhere.
I get a laugh out of the suggestion of a Tesla whipping a Hellcat. Since the non experienced Hellcat driver got his experience, he came back and beat the Tesla. Meanwhile, the Tesla sits charging it's batteries.
Now it was a huge difference in cost between them, there still will be, especially when Tesla goes truck.
Wonder how many Teslas burn down?
This is not going to happen, keep dreaming.
Re-Introduce the Chrysler 440 engine for the 1500 Ram. What more is there to say?
Posted by: papajim | Apr 21, 2017 12:53:35 AM
https://www.mopar.com/etc/designs/mopar/pdf/Big_Block.pdf
FCA and Ram are inferior products. I'd rather have a GM or Ford truck. This Ram will either be bought back or broken down before the new car smell is gone.
I would rather see Ram offer the 6.4 Hemi in the 1500 series of pickups !
Will never happen. Fiat will be out of business soon
Again, what's going on with this very irritating drone on the 5.7 when the engine goes in and out of deactivation mode. it's terrible. it only goes in and out about every 5 minutes. lol....
Does GM do the same thing?
combine that with factory cherry bomb exhaust and its enough to have a splitting headache.
I like my very quite 385hp 430lb torque f150 Eco boost. no headaches. Guess I tired of hearing rice rockets fly by or loud Harleys.
OH PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE!!!!!
PRETTY PLEASE, with CHERRIES ON TOP!!!!!
@Hemi V8
thanks, but I don't open links very much. In a few words what does it say?
@Hemi V8
I went to the Mopar site without the link and searched on big block parts and pieces. Do they have an aluminum big block casting that isn't crazy expensive available through Mopar?
RAM - build it!!!...we need to start again the sport truck war!!!
Although I'm weary of Fiat products, I would certainly be interested in a AWD version only as this is way too much HP/Trq for a 2WD truck with an empty bed - even the measly 380 HP in my '04 Lightning skips at full throttle. I also recall a buddie's '05 SRT10 was worse off...he totaled his brand new truck 6 months later when showing off with a burnout takeoff...
get a laugh out of the suggestion of a Tesla whipping a Hellcat. Since the non experienced Hellcat driver got his experience, he came back and beat the Tesla. Meanwhile, the Tesla sits charging it's batteries.
Now it was a huge difference in cost between them, there still will be, especially when Tesla goes truck.
Wonder how many Teslas burn down?
Posted by: TRX-4 Tom |
/QUOTE
You ludites are very funny,,dum,trigered,buthurt but funny
Tesla destroys multiple Hellkitens..LOL
https://youtu.be/buNOLsd7jzA
I'd rather see a normally aspirated 6.4 SRT version in a quad or crew.
Ken I think a Tesla would have a little more competition against an AWD truck! As far as embarrassing one? Not gonna happen, just as soon as the battery runs out, make sure you have a trailer handy behind the Ram to tow you home! talk about embarrassment!
Why mess around with a Hellcat? Chrysler Fiat has all the hardware and parts available to actually offer a new Viper V10 powered Ram. Not only that, it would not be a huge leap to re-engineer the Hellcat supercharger for the 8.4L Viper V10, which would easily make 900-1000HP and about the same torque. Paxton and Roe have been making aftermarket superchargers for the Viper V10 for over a decade. So, while a Hellcat Ram would be cool, I say bring back the SRT10! And this time, supercharge it!
Who's GMS?
Posted by: GMSRGREAT | Apr 22, 2017 9:02:24 AM
GMSUCKS...ah...that's you :-))
Who's GMS?
Posted by: GMSRGREAT | Apr 22, 2017 9:02:24 AM
GMSUCKS...ah...that's you :-))
Posted by: Lionel | Apr 22, 2017 9:42:20 PM
Ah, so it's you who posted as GMS earlier.
I would like to see this RAM 1500 with a Diesel Engine. But not with a slow VM Motori V6 Diesel Engine.
An Engine which can beat the F150 Raptor Engine would be the BMW In line 6 Cylinder B57D30C Engine. It delivers 400 HP and has a Torque of 760 Nm/ This would be a hell of an Engine in this truck and in addition, as it is an in-Line 6 it would last at least 300.000 miles.
If i would have the money, I would put that BMW Engine in a RAM 1500 Truck. it would be a Diesel Hellcat.
In addition, there is no need to change the automatic gearbox. The gearboxes in the RAM1500 and in the brandnew BMW 530d are both from ZF. The only difference is that FCA builds these gearboxes under license from ZF. The gearboxes in the BMW 530d are original ZF gearboxes. Both are 8 speed gearboxes. So there is no problem to fit the engine to the gearbox as dimensions are the same.
Just to give you guys a hint:
http://www.bmwblog.com/2016/05/12/full-details-new-bmw-quad-turbo-diesel-b57-engine/
It will be like the video of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT trying to race a sports car.
Very nice post..
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