ZRX: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

[VoiceOfReason]

GM Plans Chevrolet Silverado ZRX To Fight Ford F-150 Raptor, Ram Rebel TRX

Complete details of the upcoming off-road truck.

gmauthority.com

I know this site doesn’t have the greatest reputation from Mopar insiders, but if true, this seems an awful lot like GM tipping their hat to Ram for the TRX’s media buzz.

Credit goes to Brett Rudish from the Ram Rebel TRX Facebook group for advising us about the link.
It looks like the TRX will have two scalps in the trophy case before long.

 

[SD Rebel]

About time RAM and GM step up with real legit Raptor fighters.

Though sounds like the ZRX is more of full size ZR2 and less "Trophy Truck" open desert running like the Raptor and possible TRX.

 

[go-ram]

GM Plans Chevrolet Silverado ZRX To Fight Ford F-150 Raptor, Ram Rebel TRX

Complete details of the upcoming off-road truck.

gmauthority.com

I know this site doesn’t have the greatest reputation from Mopar insiders, but if true, this seems an awful lot like GM tipping their hat to Ram for the TRX’s media buzz.

Credit goes to Brett Rudish from the Ram Rebel TRX Facebook group for advising us about the link.
It looks like the TRX will have two scalps in the trophy case before long.

.
I wouldn't underestimate either Ford or Chevy, nor would I overestimate Ram.

Ram really has their work cut out for them in terms of besting the Raptor in the dunes/desert, and right now Chevy is king of the 4WD midsize pickups, in terms of offroad rock-crawling capability, with their Colorado ZR2 and special-edition Bison in partnership with AEV. And the ZR2 actually does a very good job of high-speed offroad running as well, what with the excellent Multimatic shocks. You can bet that Chevy will use every bit of experience they have garnered with their highly successful ZR2, on the upcoming ZRX.

I'm not saying Ram can't beat them, I believe Ram can do it if they truly pull out all of the stops on the TRX project. But to assume Ram is automatically going to dethrone the Raptor is a tremendous leap of faith. Stuffing a 700 HP Hemi into a gussied-up Rebel is not an automatic guarantee of a hit.

 

[SD Rebel]

.
I wouldn't underestimate either Ford or Chevy, nor would I overestimate Ram.

Ram really has their work cut out for them in terms of besting the Raptor in the dunes/desert, and right now Chevy is king of the 4WD midsize pickups, in terms of offroad rock-crawling capability, with their Colorado ZR2 and special-edition Bison in partnership with AEV. And the ZR2 actually does a very good job of high-speed offroad running as well, what with the excellent Multimatic shocks. You can bet that Chevy will use every bit of experience they have garnered with their highly successful ZR2, on the upcoming ZRX.

I'm not saying Ram can't beat them, I believe Ram can do it if they truly pull out all of the stops on the TRX project. But to assume Ram is automatically going to dethrone the Raptor is a tremendous leap of faith. Stuffing a 700 HP Hemi into a gussied-up Rebel is not an automatic guarantee of a hit.

Absolutely, the 2nd gen Raptor has all that off-road goodness "baked in", whereas the 1st gen Raptor was more or less a modified regular F150.

I have a feeling the TRX maybe closer to the first gen Raptor then the 2nd, but here is hoping for even better.

 

[VaderRebel]

I have a feeling the TRX maybe closer to the first gen Raptor then the 2nd, but here is hoping for even better.

I totally agree. We all forget that FCA's first responsibility is to shareholders and the bottom line. Risky super expensive offroad race trucks are an enthusiast market, or more accurately an aftermarket demographic that big corporations stay away from, in a way. Yes, we are seeing a trend in available specialty OEM parts, but manufacturing moster trucks, no.

For that reason I think the 1st gen TRX will be a slight letdown for some.

 

[VoiceOfReason]

A few things:
- Ram is well aware of what made and continues to make the Raptor successful, and it wasn't limited to horsepower (it wasn't even the primary selling point).
- The Raptor, even today, cannot accommodate 37" tires and requires fender swaps for clearance (if my understanding is correct).
- Shareholders are also well aware of the ATP that the Raptor commands; they even alluded to it as the "Raptor effect" in an FCA presentation.

I suspect that Ram will put some of the concept design and engineering to use in the production TRX such that it will fit 37" tires, but come stock with 35" so as to not further incur the wrath of the CAFE related penalties along with some other reasons.

Ford and GM are both in a state of decline while Ram (and Jeep) are on the rise. This is the company that puts out 707, 717, 797, 808, and 840 horsepower street cars. They are not known for *****footing around the competition or the shareholders. They are being very aggressive. I suspect the only people who will be disappointed by the TRX are the owners of competing truck dealerships (and those who were hoping for a street focused truck).

I could be wrong.
We'll know in six to nine months I guess.

 

[Rustydodge]

A PW bested the gen 2 raptor on a long drive comparison in 2017 (MT king of the north). If that comparison was redone today i think the raptor may have won due to the better shocks they went to finally in 2019, probably partly due to pressure from the ZR2 as well.

Point being, current PW and Raptor aren't vastly different when being used like 98% of them are likely used.

For that reason, the TRX is going to slot in above the Raptor. That I am saying with a decent amount of confidence.

However, you only have to look at what the Raptor is doing to prepare for the TRX to understand it will likely be a pretty close match up (they are switching to rear coil springs for starters). I also think Ford will bring their A game in the interior and tech department. Big ? is what engine will Ford use? If its not a supercharged V8 they've already lost IMO

As far as this ZRX - its all rumors based on GM trademarking the name as far as I'm aware, though basically they just need to take a trail boss and put on a better offroad oriented front bumper and add ZR2 shocks. Good point above regarding GM's issue with tire size limitations - so new fenders as well. As it will come after updated interior we may have 3 pretty nice light duty halo truck offerings

 

[SD Rebel]

A PW bested the gen 2 raptor on a long drive comparison in 2017 (MT king of the north). If that comparison was redone today i think the raptor may have won due to the better shocks they went to finally in 2019, probably partly due to pressure from the ZR2 as well.

Point being, current PW and Raptor aren't vastly different when being used like 98% of them are likely used.

For that reason, the TRX is going to slot in above the Raptor. That I am saying with a decent amount of confidence.

However, you only have to look at what the Raptor is doing to prepare for the TRX to understand it will likely be a pretty close match up (they are switching to rear coil springs for starters). I also think Ford will bring their A game in the interior and tech department. Big ? is what engine will Ford use? If its not a supercharged V8 they've already lost IMO

As far as this ZRX - its all rumors based on GM trademarking the name as far as I'm aware, though basically they just need to take a trail boss and put on a better offroad oriented front bumper and add ZR2 shocks. Good point above regarding GM's issue with tire size limitations - so new fenders as well. As it will come after updated interior we may have 3 pretty nice light duty halo truck offerings

I had a problem with that test, mainly that King of the North specifically for wet muddy places. The Raptor wasn't designed for that, but Baja style running out in the open in the West, more dunes and sand, It would have absolutely ran away with any comparison test in it's designed environment.

 

[Rustydodge]

I had a problem with that test, mainly that King of the North specifically for wet muddy places. The Raptor wasn't designed for that, but Baja style running out in the open in the West, more dunes and sand, It would have absolutely ran away with any comparison test in it's designed environment.

But that's my point - gen 2 raptor isn't as great an all around vehicle and it showed in the test. Also - its supposed to be good at go-fast-over-bumps yet the back end kept kicking out on them due to leaf springs and shocks - PW was better at going fast over the rougher terrain/roads (exactly where the raptor should have shined but it did not). If you're not jumping the trucks (which lets face it - who goes out and jumps their truck), the big heavy PW was more stable.

Now that next raptor is switching to rear coils like Ram and with good shocks it should be much closer.

 

[devildodge]

Powerwagon can jump too.

 

[SD Rebel]

But that's my point - gen 2 raptor isn't as great an all around vehicle and it showed in the test. Also - its supposed to be good at go-fast-over-bumps yet the back end kept kicking out on them due to leaf springs and shocks - PW was better at going fast over the rougher terrain/roads (exactly where the raptor should have shined but it did not). If you're not jumping the trucks (which lets face it - who goes out and jumps their truck), the big heavy PW was more stable.

Now that next raptor is switching to rear coils like Ram and with good shocks it should be much closer.

That's true, though I think being a heavier 2500 series truck was going to give the PW some advantages over that terrain. I'm from out West and use to off-roading in the sand and desert, so I'm probably a little bias on which one I'd rather have.

 

[VoiceOfReason]

Also, when TFLTruck took both the Raptor and the Power Wagon to Moab, the Raptor did manage to make it up a steep, loose rock obstacle that the Power Wagon could not get past (they said at the end of the video that they tried multiple times, but the weight of the PW was just too much of a hindrance). It all depends on what you want to use them for, and what your preferences are.
The best news is, the competition is going to cause all the brands to continue improving their products which means customers will be like kids in candy stores.
Ford got the party started with the Raptor and the TRX concept added another shot of adrenaline. Hopefully Ram will translate the concept’s features and appeal to production.