RAM 1500 TRX Final Edition confirmed for Australia

It’s time to act fast if you want to purchase a RAM 1500 TRX with a snarling supercharged V8.

Production of the current V8-powered RAM 1500 TRX ended in the United States last year and today the brand’s local importer has announced 130 Final Editions for Australia.

Due to hit Aussie showrooms soon, the 130 units are taken from a global run of 4000 vehicles and feature a number of cosmetic and interior changes. The full details of the Ram 1500 TRX Final Edition are below.

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The TRX’s replacement was unveiled in the US yesterday as the RAM 1500 RHO and it replaces the current 6.2-litre supercharged V8 with a newer 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six.

The six-cylinder is lighter and more efficient but it ‘only’ makes 402kW/706Nm, which is a sizeable 121kW/176Nm less than the force-fed V8.

August '23: Sad news for lovers of huge V8-powered utes – it looks like the 702hp RAM TRX is about to face extinction.

RAM has confirmed production of its enormous, supercharged dual-cab ute – which is converted to right-hand-drive for Australia and sold here for the princely sum of $224,950 – will end production in December this year. We’re quite sad about that.

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To mark the occasion, RAM has revealed a special, limited edition version of the TRX, dubbed the 2024 RAM 1500 TRX 6.2L Supercharged V8 Final Edition.

The model is limited to 4000 units worldwide and brings a host of visual and equipment upgrades to help send the TRX off in style as it wanders into the enormous dinosaur park in the sky.

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There’s also a Final Edition badge on the lid of the ginormous centre console which includes the limited edition ute’s build number

Three exclusive colours are offered – Delmonico Red, Harvest Sunrise and Edge Blue – and there’s also a Satin Titanium Finish for the standard bead-lock alloys. Inside, the digital instrument cluster gains a ‘Final Edition’ welcome message, there’s a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system, contrast stitching and a host of other upgraded cabin materials like additional suede and matte carbon fibre inserts.

There’s also a Final Edition badge on the lid of the ginormous centre console which includes the limited edition ute’s build number.

One thing RAM hasn’t touched is the TRX’s 6.2-litre Hellcat V8, although with 523kW/882Nm already on tap, the big V8 wasn’t exactly crying out for more power.

Need some context? That’s 231kW/299Nm more than you get from a Ford Ranger Raptor, which is basically like having an entire Honda Civic Type R’s worth of additional grunt at your disposal.

It also helps the 3.0-tonne RAM TRX rocket from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and cover the quarter mile in 12.9sec @ 174km/h.

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Aussie versions of the RAM TRX are already highly specified but it is likely a few examples of the Final Edition will make their way Down Under.

A spokesperson for Ateco, who imports the TRX into Australia, told us: “I’m told we will get Final Edition TRX but numbers and timings are still to be confirmed.”

No word on how much the Final Edition might cost, though you can expect a premium over the current ute’s $224,950.

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That the RAM TRX is shuffling off this mortal coil is no great surprise, though there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

RAM’s CEO Tim Kuniskis says there is a successor planned: “This current chapter in RAM’s high-performance trucks is coming to a close, but it’s not the end of TRX’s story. We’ll have more news to come at a later date.”

Wedging a higher output version of RAM’s twin-turbo 3.0-litre ‘Hurricane’ straight six into the next TRX could be an option. Or RAM might go down the electric path and build a flared-guard, high-flying version of its REV electric ute.

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Whatever the replacement, it’s unlikely to stir the soul of enthusiasts in quite the same way. Or sound so completely unhinged as the current supercharged V8.

So rather than commiserate about the model’s impeding extinction, why not revel in its heady excess by reading our TRX and Ranger Raptor comparison test here: Hero Trucks compared.

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