Last week, our friend Jordan Denhoed happened to be enjoying the week doing some off-roading at Silver Lake Sand Dunes near Mears, Michigan, when he happened upon a fleet of 2021 Ram 1500 Rebel TRX prototypes doing some off-road testing. It was our first time getting a look at the upcoming HELLCAT-power Ram 1500 doing some off-roading, as we have seen a number of the trucks doing testing on the streets of Metro Detroit.
Now we are getting our first look in video form of the Rebel TRX tackling the sand dunes. It is clear, that Ram Trucks has their sights aimed squarely at the Ford F-150 Raptor. The Raptor is known for its powerlessness in the sand, entering events like the Baja 1000, so its no surprise Ram engineers are out doing testing in the sand.
According to our sources, while the 2016 Ram 1500 Rebel TRX Concept based on the DS-platform Ram had a detuned supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI HELLCAT V8 with 525 horsepower, Ram is planning on unleashing the full-capability of its HEMI HELLCAT engine for the production version. With power like that in off-road conditions, its no wonder why that prototype Rebel TRX models have an 8-lug rear axle. What confuses us still is the use of a 6-lug front axle still.
Now we have seen earlier prototypes of the non-supercharged 7.0-liter HEMI V8 Rebel TR variant use 6-lug wheels using the same wheel pattern on all four corners. However, our sources have said Ram has shelved that program, in favor of focusing on the HELLCAT-powered model. Since then, the all-black TRX prototypes have been wearing 8-lug rear axles.
We are sure we are going to be seeing a lot more Rebel TRX prototypes on the road in the near future. This high-anticipated truck is going to be a key component of Ram’s continued growth in the truck segment. Until then, enjoy some footage of the Ram engineering team testing in the sands of western Michigan.
