Is there any truck on the planet that can beat the Ram TRX in a straight line? That’s the question being asked by the folks at The Fast Lane Truck, where a new series called Run What You Brung is underway. The goal? Beat the TRX, and thus far, that goal hasn’t been realized. This time around, the competition is a bit surprising, in more ways than one.
A pair of Toyota Tacomas hold station to battle the beefy Ram, including a brand new 2021 TRD Pro. With 278 horsepower (207 kilowatts) from its 3.5-liter V6, there’s absolutely no way to drum up any drama here. The Tacoma is beyond outclassed against the TRX and its 702-hp (523 kW) Hellcat V8, but perhaps the other Taco is a better match. Here comes the first of many surprises, because it’s a 1997 single cab model with no less than 650,000 miles showing on the odometer. Can it possibly compete with the TRX?
Here’s surprise number two. The old Toyota isn’t just a pretty time capsule, as its 3.4-liter V6 has a TRD supercharger sitting on top. And surprise number three? Both Toyotas dole that power to the ground through an honest-to-goodness manual transmission. Folks, the Ram might have gobs of power, but rowing gears in a classic Tacoma with a supercharged engine? No wonder the truck has 650,000 miles on it.
Now for the reality check. Even with that supercharger (factory installed according to the video) the vintage Taco only brings an estimated 300 hp (224 kW) to the battle. Yes, its small single-cab stature makes it considerably lighter than the Ram, but you probably know how this showdown will end. What you don’t know, however, is just how valiant a fight the plucky Toyota puts up.
Are there trucks faster than the TRX? We saw a Shelby-tuned F-150 beat the Ram in a lengthy drag race, but only barely. We give credit where credit is due – for short sprints, the TRX could be a stoplight champion for a long time to come.
