New Ram 1500 RHO debuts with 548 hp and radical looks

Ram revealed this Thursday, the 25th, the new 1500 RHO. Equipped with a 3.0 biturbo six-cylinder in-line engine, the sports pickup debuts with 548 hp and replaces the old TRX version – which went out of production in December last year along with its 6.2 V8 engine with 717 hp – offering practically the same performance, but costing much less.

On the outside, the look follows the restyling that the Ram 1500 received last year. Among the changes are new LED headlights, steel bumpers with tow hooks and a redesigned front grille. On the side, the fenders were widened to accommodate the new 18″ wheels and 35″ off-road tires.

Another new feature are the RHO (Ram High Output) stickers and the new LED flashlights. The new Ram 1500 RHO also has the same prepared suspension as the late TRX version, with adaptive shock absorbers from Bilstein. The body also has specific protections for extreme off-road use.

Towing capacity is up to 3,801 kg and payload capacity is 689 kg. Inside, the finish features blacked-out details and exclusive emblems. The digital panel has a 12.3″ screen and the 14.5″ multimedia with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is also a third 10.25″ screen for the passenger.

Under the hood, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat’s 6.2 V8 Supercharged Hemi engine with 717 hp and 880 Nm comes out and the 3.0 six-cylinder twin-turbo Hurricane comes in, with 548 hp and 705 Nm of torque. The traction is 4×4 and the transmission is an 8-speed automatic. Despite the new engine’s lower numbers, performance is practically the same.

With this package, the new Ram 1500 RHO goes from 0 to 96 km/h in just 4.6 seconds (just 0.1s more than the TRX). The maximum speed is limited to 190 km/h in both pickup trucks, due to the weight and size of the model.

The new Ram 1500 RHO is already taking orders in the USA, with prices starting at 72 thousand dollars (around R$ 372 thousand), exactly 28 thousand dollars (R$ 144 thousand) less than the TRX version. The new sports pickup is not yet scheduled to arrive in Brazil, which already has the Rebel and Limited versions of the Ram 1500 pickup.