RAM TRX: World’s fastest ute officially on sale

Named after Tyrannosaurus rex, this monster truck is here to devour Ford’s Ranger Raptor – but its price delivers ferocious bite.

The world’s most powerful ute is on sale in Australia, delivering eye-watering performance for an eye-popping price.

Powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 borrowed from the Dodge Hellcat and Jeep Trackhawk, the new RAM TRX has enormous 523kW and 882Nm power figures.

RAM’s 1500 TRX delivers supercharged V8 power to the pick-up class.

That’s more power than many exotic supercars, and more than triple the grunt of a Toyota HiLux.

The only ute that will come close to its performance is the new Ford Ranger Raptor, a car that swaps a four-cylinder, 157kW diesel engine for a 292kW twin-turbocharged V8.

The RAM promises stirring power on and off road.

Even then, RAM has made no secret of the fact that its TRX, named after Tyrannosaurus Rex, is here to eat the Raptor. It even has “Easter egg” pictures moulded into interior plastics showing the T-Rex hunting a Raptor, and crushing the smaller dinosaur in its enormous jaws.

‘Easter egg’ pictures inside the RAM show T-Rex devouring a velociraptor.

Practical upgrades over the regular RAM 1500 include wider bodywork to accommodate massive 325mm-wide Goodyear rubber.

A new grille and bonnet scoop feed air to the massive supercharger, while big brakes and Bilstein suspension help keep the big rig in control.

The new RAM TRX is on sale now.

Cabin tech includes a 12-inch portrait-style touchscreen, modern driver assistance features and a sporty steering wheel with shift paddles.

RAM says the ute’s 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo is the “finest and most powerful audio system available in a pick-up truck”.

It represents one of the most advanced utes on sale.

Customers also get electronic features such as launch control, and multiple drive modes including a rally-inspired Baja setting.

The catch is that none of this comes cheaply.

The TRX promises to be at home on gravel and tar.

The RAM TRX starts at $199,950 plus on-road costs that push its price beyond the $200,000 mark, more than doubling the cost of Ford’s best-selling Ranger Raptor.

Part of the Porsche-rivalling price tag comes from the performance hardware under the bonnet.

And part is due to RAM’s need to convert the car from left-hand-drive to right-hand-drive in Melbourne, adding to the $US78,890 ($113,500) RAM charges for the ute in America.