Ram Australia keen for V8 return with TRX and Rumble Bee on the cards

Ram Trucks Australia is adamant that it's working tirelessly to bring a V8 pickup truck back to local showrooms, and it's targeting the reborn TRX and newly revealed Rumble Bee 'muscle truck' family as its first cabs off the rank.

The American pickup brand killed the V8 engine when it rolled out a mid-life update for the 1500 in 2025, replacing the iconic 'Hemi' V8 with its far newer – and more powerful – 'Hurricane' twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine instead.

Since then, however, the brand has revealed a selection of new V8-equipped trucks in the US. The first was the monstrous 6.2-litre supercharged 1500 SRT TRX in January 2026, followed by the three-variant, V8-only Rumble Bee in June.

None of those trucks have been confirmed for Australia, but the brand has made no secret of its intent to bring them here. Speaking at the local launch for the Ram 1500 Express Black Edition, brand spokesperson Joshua Dowling reinforced that sentiment.

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"Earlier this year, Ram Trucks USA confirmed the return of the Ram TRX. We said at the time that the reborn TRX is under serious consideration for Australia, and that statement remains true today," he told media.

"What we can tell you is that the TRX is more likely to come to Australia than not, but we still have a number of engineering gateways to go through. As a factory-backed operation, Ram Trucks Australia has very stringent standards when it comes to engineering and remanufacturing.

"Our vehicles are made to factory quality standards, and in order to be thorough, that process takes time. So, we ask our TRX fans to please be patient, and we hope to have some good news to share with you very shortly – we hope you won't be waiting too long."

The new 6.2-litre TRX holds the title of the world's most powerful production ute, usurping the 5.2-litre supercharged V8 Ford F-150 Raptor R. It produces a whopping 579kW of power and 922Nm of torque – up 56kW and 40Nm on the last version sold in Australia in 2024.

That gives it a dizzying 0-60mph (0-97km/h) time of just 3.5 seconds, achieved with the help of an eight-speed automatic and full-time four-wheel drive with launch control. It's 0.2 seconds quicker than the previous TRX.

The Rumble Bee, meanwhile, offers greater choice. It's available with three 'Hemi' engines: a 5.7-litre V8 with 295kW and 556Nm, a 6.4-litre V8 with 350kW and 617Nm, and the truly wild SRT with the TRX's 6.2-litre supercharged V8.

Power and torque outputs are the same, but its use of highway-terrain tyres over all-terrains gives it a 0-97km/h time of just 3.4 seconds – making it the quickest petrol-powered production ute ever made.

Mr Dowling said that while the Rumble Bee has not been confirmed for Australia, it's also on the wish list, confirming Ram's local division is "in close talks with the factory about securing an allocation for Australia".

"If it were to come to Australia, it would come after the TRX because of the engineering work required. But if everything goes our way, it won't be far behind," he said.

"It is too early to speculate on which of the three Ram 1500 Rumble Bees we would bring to Australia ... but that is all part of the process we are undertaking right now, determining which of the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee models will best suit Australian buyers.

"We think no matter which one, all ones we bring in, they will be a hit. Australia has a deep history with high-performance utes, and we know a Ram 1500 Rumble Bee will be right at home Down Under."

As with other Ram pickup trucks sold in Australia, both the TRX and Rumble Bee would undergo a rigorous remanufacturing process to convert them from left- to right-hand drive. This work is carried out by Walkinshaw in Melbourne, Victoria.

The 12-hour conversion requires 'de-marrying' the truck's body from its chassis, allowing the fitment of right-hand specific steering components, among other parts. Items like the right-hand dashboard, meanwhile, come from the same factory that produces them for US-bound trucks, meeting factory standards.

Given that the previous TRX underwent this process in recent years, it's not expected that the conversion work will pose a hurdle to the new model's introduction. The same is likely true for the Rumble Bee, but Ram still has yet to indicate when these models could arrive.

"We can confirm we are working around the clock with our engineering team in Australia and with engineers in the US to make the return of TRX a reality," Mr Dowling said.

"We already have a strong customer order bank for the TRX, with customers placing deposits across our dealer network in Australia. And that's before we have even confirmed the TRX is coming, and before we have announced price."

"We want to say, loud and clear to our TRX fans, we hear you, and we are doing everything possible to get the TRX back into our showrooms."

If these V8 trucks make their way to Australia, it's not clear how many units of each will be available. The previous TRX was available only in limited numbers, especially for the Final Edition, while the Rumble Bee may be hamstrung by anticipated demand in its home market.

Pricing is equally unknown, but they're all likely to be quite pricey. The previous TRX started at $224,950 before on-road costs in Australia, while the regular six-cylinder 1500 range currently starts at $109,950 before on-roads for the new Express Black Edition.

Australia’s ever-tightening emissions regulations will also play a factor, with the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) imposing penalties of $100 per gram of CO2 per kilometre for an automaker's excess fleet emissions – potentially leading to a limited allocation for local buyers, rather than a permanent addition to the range.

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