Ram News: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX Continues FCA's Hellcat Obsession

[surreal1272]

17 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

They could do a twin turbo V6.  Demand almost doesn't even matter.  I wonder how many Hellcat Durangos actually sell, because who wants a $80k Dodge Durango, but putting that Hellcat gets the internet talking and creates some free advertising and might steer some dealership traffic, even if those people walk out with a Pentastar V6 Durango instead.

The Hellcat Ram will drive some dealer traffic and create some buzz for the Ram.   And I bet there is a Ram Demon with 800 hp coming.  

Demand always matters. No demand=no money.

[David]

34 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Yes, everyone makes cuts.  

Also keep in mind Mercedes is adding EQS, EQE, EQA and EQB and perhaps more EV's those are just the 4 that have test mules running and are near ready.  And they'll put out a some sort of convertible and coupe around $50k, they aren't going to have their cheapest 2-door car start at $100k.

Of which EQA, EQB and EQC are not showing up in North America any time soon. Seems MB has changed to an EQS being the first EV here in a couple years at the earliest.

We have no idea what all Cadillac is going to have since they have not shown their hand publicly, so right now Lyriq and Escalade is known, but I would also bet on a XT EV in probably 2 if not 3 different sizes.

MB will have more cuts than additions it seems especially here in North America.

In regards to this thread on RAM TRX. I doubt MB will have anything to compete against this any time in the next 10 to 20 years.

[smk4565]

22 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

Demand always matters. No demand=no money.

True, but the Hellcat Ram generates demand for other Rams, that is where the money is then made.  It makes the Ram seem more bad ass or cooler than the Silverado that tops out at 420 hp or whatever and doesn't have a cool name or gimmick.

Although the gimmicks eventually wear out, and having good product matters more than something like a Duragno Hellcat, where the Durango is probably among the worst vehicles in the segment.  But that is how Dodge has kept a dying brand alive thus far.

[David]

24 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

, where the Durango is probably among the worst vehicles in the segment. 

Will totally disagree with you on this as it is way better than stuff at Ford, Asian or German for the size and what it is capable of doing.

Mercedes-Benz has NOTHING to compete with the Durango!

[Robert Hall]

30 minutes ago, David said:

 

Mercedes-Benz has NOTHING to compete with the Durango!

The GLS is similar in size to the Durango.  V8, 3 row.  At a much higher price point, of course.  It's not like Dodge is competing with M-B.  The Durango competes w/ the Acadia, Traverse, Explorer, etc..

[smk4565]

43 minutes ago, David said:

Will totally disagree with you on this as it is way better than stuff at Ford, Asian or German for the size and what it is capable of doing.

Mercedes-Benz has NOTHING to compete with the Durango!

I would hope that Mercedes doesn't compete with crap that is built on a chassis leftovers from a 2006 Mercedes ML.  

I'd also say the Explorer, Highlander, Pilot, Palisade, Telluride and CX-9 are all better all around vehicles than the Durango, and I'd probably say, Atlas, Enclave and Traverse which are more the weaker vehicles in the segment and are arguably better than Durango.

[David]

18 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

I would hope that Mercedes doesn't compete with crap that is built on a chassis leftovers from a 2006 Mercedes ML.  

I'd also say the Explorer, Highlander, Pilot, Palisade, Telluride and CX-9 are all better all around vehicles than the Durango, and I'd probably say, Atlas, Enclave and Traverse which are more the weaker vehicles in the segment and are arguably better than Durango.

If it was good enough for Mercedes, then it is even better for Dodge!

To Quote @Drew Dowdell has stated about the MB Platforms they over paid for, their pretty much is NOTHING LEFT from the original platform as everything has been re-engineered to be superior.

Explorer, Highlander, Pilot and CX-9 are craptastic plastic garbage compared to the current Durango which is NOTHING LIKE the Crap ML was at that time. Way better and has continued to be improved by Dodge. None of those POS CUV's have a V8

Palisade and Telluride have very competitive and possibly better interiors all depending on trim level of the Dodge and yet they also have NO V8.

None of them can compete with the DURANGO, Especially the HellCat or any of the other V8 Trim versions. 

Your trying to compare Unibody CUV's to a True Body on Frame SUV with SUPERIOR V8 Technology!

Just like this AWESOME TRX V8 Power Body on Frame Full Size Truck which MB, right has NOTHING to compare with it, What a FAILURE of an AUTO COMPANY when it CANNOT COMPETE in the TRUCK Category and at one time was considering a RE-Badge of an Asian truck just to try and compete.

[Robert Hall]

And remember, a Durango is basically a long wheelbase 3 row WK2 Grand Cherokee with different styling.  A very solid product all around though a decade old now..

7 minutes ago, David said:

 

Palisade and Telluride have very competitive and possibly better interiors all depending on trim level of the Dodge and yet they also have NO V8.

None of them can compete with the DURANGO, Especially the HellCat or any of the other V8 Trim versions. 

Your trying to compare Unibody CUV's to a True Body on Frame SUV with SUPERIOR V8 Technology!

 

3rd gen Durango is unibody, remember it's a WK2 Grand Cherokee variation.   The 1st and 2nd gen Durangos were BOF.

[smk4565]

1 hour ago, David said:

If it was good enough for Mercedes, then it is even better for Dodge!

To Quote @Drew Dowdell has stated about the MB Platforms they over paid for, their pretty much is NOTHING LEFT from the original platform as everything has been re-engineered to be superior.

Explorer, Highlander, Pilot and CX-9 are craptastic plastic garbage compared to the current Durango which is NOTHING LIKE the Crap ML was at that time. Way better and has continued to be improved by Dodge. None of those POS CUV's have a V8

Palisade and Telluride have very competitive and possibly better interiors all depending on trim level of the Dodge and yet they also have NO V8.

None of them can compete with the DURANGO, Especially the HellCat or any of the other V8 Trim versions. 

Your trying to compare Unibody CUV's to a True Body on Frame SUV with SUPERIOR V8 Technology!

Just like this AWESOME TRX V8 Power Body on Frame Full Size Truck which MB, right has NOTHING to compare with it, What a FAILURE of an AUTO COMPANY when it CANNOT COMPETE in the TRUCK Category and at one time was considering a RE-Badge of an Asian truck just to try and compete.

The Durango is a unibody CUV. 

MB already built something better than the TRX.

[balthazar]

21 hours ago, smk4565 said:

I’d bet on Elon Musk before betting on anyone running GM, Ford or Excellious or whatever the hell the company that builds the Ram truck is called.

Let me get this straight.
You have a company building the #1 product (your metric: sales) for SEVENTY-TWO YEARS, selling 800,000 to sometimes 900,000 units.... and you want to put your money down AGAINST them??????

[oldshurst442]

16 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

MB already built something better than the TRX.

 HA!

Talk about production vehicles made for shytes and giggles in the cartoony realm...  

And with a 2.2 billion dollar US fine...(European fine is coming as well), I think that monstrosity of a thing to sell to oil sheiks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai is a thing of the past for M-B... 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

6x6s have been done with every brand truck, forever.

[oldshurst442]

Back to the Hellcat RAM

 

 

[smk4565]

32 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Let me get this straight.
You have a company building the #1 product (your metric: sales) for SEVENTY-TWO YEARS, selling 800,000 to sometimes 900,000 units.... and you want to put your money down AGAINST them??????

Well if Cybertruck or the Hummer have 1,000, what is Ram’s answer?  All they have are dinosaur Hemi V8s that are crazy thirsty.  And Ram probably won’t have an EV til 2025 at best.

The big issue is money, FCA had none, much like Nissan has none, hopefully PSA had some but we’ll see how the merger goes.  Elon has near endless money to build whatever he wants.

[balthazar]

No.
Vehicle.
Reaches.
Number.
One.
In.
Sales.
Volume. (your metric)
Based.
On.
Horsepower.
Rating.
Alone.
 

PRINT THE ABOVE OUT, HANG IT ON YOUR CUBICLE WALL.

READ IT EVERY DAY.

[David]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

The Durango is a unibody CUV. 

MB already built something better than the TRX.

A One Off Trick Pony is NOT BETTER. This is NOT MASS Produced. A custom build not a commercial produced product.

Apple to Banana comparison. STOP ATTEMPTING TO BULLSHIT HERE. Compare Apples to Apples.

Like @Robert Hall Pointed out, if you want to compare, then compare to the GLS to the Durango.

Mercedes-Benz HAS NO TRUCKS that compare to RAM, FORD or GM.

They are MISSING IN ACTION!

[ccap41]

12 hours ago, David said:

If it was good enough for Mercedes, then it is even better for Dodge!

To Quote @Drew Dowdell has stated about the MB Platforms they over paid for, their pretty much is NOTHING LEFT from the original platform as everything has been re-engineered to be superior.

Explorer, Highlander, Pilot and CX-9 are craptastic plastic garbage compared to the current Durango which is NOTHING LIKE the Crap ML was at that time. Way better and has continued to be improved by Dodge. None of those POS CUV's have a V8

Palisade and Telluride have very competitive and possibly better interiors all depending on trim level of the Dodge and yet they also have NO V8.

None of them can compete with the DURANGO, Especially the HellCat or any of the other V8 Trim versions. 

Your trying to compare Unibody CUV's to a True Body on Frame SUV with SUPERIOR V8 Technology!

Just like this AWESOME TRX V8 Power Body on Frame Full Size Truck which MB, right has NOTHING to compare with it, What a FAILURE of an AUTO COMPANY when it CANNOT COMPETE in the TRUCK Category and at one time was considering a RE-Badge of an Asian truck just to try and compete.

The Durango is not a body on frame SUV. It is a uni-body architecture, like the othe CUVs. It is just RWD based instead of FWD based. 

[ccap41]

21 hours ago, ccap41 said:

I'm genuinely curious what Ford is thinking upon this release. I wonder if they're going to go all diesel-one-upping each other and actually throw something bada$$ under the hood or are they doing to try and keep the same formula and cross their fingers. They certainly have some time as the 2021 F150 won't have a new Raptor anyway but I bet they're scrambling to figure something out. I can't imagine them having the balls to use the supercharged 5.2 but, ya never know. They don't like to be behind in their bread and butter segment, trucks.

What's everybody's thoughts on Ford or GM's(mostly Ford because GM doesn't seem to have the nuts to enter the segment...😞) rebuttal to the TRX? 

[ykX]

18 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

What's everybody's thoughts on Ford or GM's(mostly Ford because GM doesn't seem to have the nuts to enter the segment...😞) rebuttal to the TRX? 

Ford could put retuned engine form GT500 into the next Raptor.  Seems excessive to me but who knows.

Personally I would rather see they do this kind of extreme off road trim to Ranger to compete or best Colorado ZR2.  I guess RAM doesn't have compact truck yet.

[ccap41]

41 minutes ago, ykX said:

Ford could put retuned engine form GT500 into the next Raptor.  Seems excessive to me but who knows.

Personally I would rather see they do this kind of extreme off road trim to Ranger to compete or best Colorado ZR2.  I guess RAM doesn't have compact truck yet.

I'm not sure if they would put a front locker in the Ranger and it'll always be behind in that regard. Hopefully they do because the Bronco has one so it could very well be the same exact part number. 

Do you think they'd just turn the wick up on the 2.7T or something more like the 3.5T? 

I think it would be awesome if they dropped in a retuned S/C 5.2 but I'm just not sure if they will have the balls to do that. I can't imagine how stressful that much power and torque is on the off-road components and that's a lot of re-engineering.

[David]

I doubt Ford will do anything of an equal on the Ranger as they are hurting due to their debt load and with their investment in EVs. I think they will be looking a bit different than a one trick pony now that would sell big at first but then fad away.

I think Ford will be looking at other areas to raise cash under the new CEO. As a Flip Flopping manager, I really wonder what Ford will be like in 5yrs.

[ccap41]

2 minutes ago, David said:

I doubt Ford will do anything of an equal on the Ranger as they are hurting due to their debt load and with their investment in EVs. I think they will be looking a bit different than a one trick pony now that would sell big at first but then fad away.

I think Ford will be looking at other areas to raise cash under the new CEO. As a Flip Flopping manager, I really wonder what Ford will be like in 5yrs.

I mean I understand what you're talking about but at the same time, the high trims are typically easy cash for them. The next Ranger will be on the Bronco's platform so they could just plug and play with whatever they do to the Bronco. It should be relatively easy cash. 

I can't imagine them doing NOTHING to the next Ranger that would be exciting off-road. 

[David]

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I mean I understand what you're talking about but at the same time, the high trims are typically easy cash for them. The next Ranger will be on the Bronco's platform so they could just plug and play with whatever they do to the Bronco. It should be relatively easy cash. 

I can't imagine them doing NOTHING to the next Ranger that would be exciting off-road. 

True as the statement goes Lipstick on a Pig, I can see Ford putting LipStick on the Bronco to sell a badged off road version, but I think they will not actually build a Raptor Ford Ranger. The funds I think are tied up elsewhere.

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, David said:

True as the statement goes Lipstick on a Pig, I can see Ford putting LipStick on the Bronco to sell a badged off road version, but I think they will not actually build a Raptor Ford Ranger. The funds I think are tied up elsewhere.

The Raptor Ranger has been in production for a few years outside NA. Maybe they will do a Raptor version of the next gen one in NA.

Sounds like they already have multiple pretty serious off road versions of the Bronco anyway, with the Badlands and Wildtrak w/ Sasquatch package...

Edited August 19, 2020 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

2 hours ago, David said:

Ford putting LipStick on the Bronco to sell a badged off road version

Not a fan of the Bronco?