Does The TRX On Ram Trucks Stand For Anything & Where Did The Name Come From?

Even before the brand split from Dodge, Ram trucks were regarded as among the toughest, most powerful vehicles on the road — and off. The brand has only bolstered its reputation for toughness since Dodge spun off the Ram truck brand in 2009, and in 2021 the truck maker pushed its power credentials to certifiable next levels with the release of the Ram 1500 TRX.

The super-powered pickup debuted with a supercharged 6.2L V8 Hemi under the hood. When it made its way to the streets, Dodge's legendary Hellcat power bestowed upon the Ram 1500 TRX an astonishing 702 horsepower that, when coupled with 650 pound-feet of torque, gave the truck the ability to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. Those numbers easily made the vehicle one of the most powerful pickup trucks on the road, and it continued to dominate that conversation until the TRX was discontinued.

Despite all the chatter surrounding the TRX, it seems there are still some unanswered questions about its name. There have, of course, long been rumors among Ram faithful that the manufacturer named the truck after the Tyrannosaurus rex, in direct response to its primary competitor, the Ford Raptor. However, that rumor has officially been debunked by Mike Gilliam, a key member of the Ram design team. Moreover, Gilliam said that TRX also isn't an acronym for anything, and that the designation was chosen for a couple of specific reasons.

Yes, we were as bummed as anybody to learn that Ram didn't actually name its Hellcat-powered pickup after one of history's most hardcore apex predators. With the T. rex rumor debunked, it was just as surprising to learn that the three-letter name doesn't stand for anything else. Those facts raise another obvious question: Where did the TRX name actually originate?

Gilliam, the TRX's exterior-design lead, candidly detailed its origins during a 2020 interview with Motor Trend. He noted that the Ram 1500 was not the first vehicle to bear that three-letter designation. In fact, the TRX moniker debuted a few years before Ram spun off from Dodge, appearing on trucks from both brands as early as 2006. It disappeared soon after, however, and lay dormant in the Ram vaults until the 2021 revival.

As for how the name ended up on the supercharged Ram 1500, Gilliam admits the decision was made out of both necessity and convenience. It helped immensely that the company already owned the rights to the TRX name, he said, adding that designation was deemed as cool as it is easy to remember. More importantly, Gilliam said, the Ram team didn't have much time to debate the truck's name — just 77 days to both choose it and design the truck. Given those factors, the team should be applauded for picking a label so distinctly on brand.