When discussing Dodge halo cars, the succession that took place last decade is simple to explain: the Viper, which had been built around its free-breathing V10 since 1991, went out in 2017, with the new Hellcat supercharged V8 taking over in the Challenger and beyond. What about Ram trucks, though? Sure, here too the SRT-10 that borrowed the Viper’s monstrous V10 between 2004 and 2006 needed a successor. So, in late 2020, Ram finally started production of the 1500 TRX, which is naturally a Hellcat vessel. However, the transition saw the Ram top dog going from a street performance truck to a Baja-style rugged runner. So, what happens if we want our road-biased super-truck back? Enter the 2023 Hellram.
What is the Hellram, you ask? An unofficial concept depicting a Ram 1500 TRX that now comes in a single cab configuration and has been heavily revised for its new asphalt duties. And yes, it’s a 3D rendering, but not only is it a damned good one but also quenches the thirst left behind by the industry giving up on the entire street performance truck segment.
Sure, the off-road monsters like the actual TRX and the 2023 Raptor R that Ford is building to get back at the Ram are more practical. But have you checked their top speeds?
It’s not like you need to get over (or even close) to the 118 mph maximum velocity of the TRX out on the road, while taking this thing to the track means its weight will cause it to eat through tires and brakes in ridiculous fashion. But that top speed tells us that the go-anywhere tires and the dune-bashing-friendly suspension of the real truck take away quite a bit of its road potential. Oh, and here’s a TRX drag racing a Trackhawk, just became we lost heavyweights.
Returning to the 2023 Hellram, digital artist Oscar Vargas (aka wb.artist20, not only managed to achieve the feat mentioned above, but also gifted the truck with mini-TRX looks. This is mostly owed to the mix between the single cab, short bed configuration, and massive wheels. But the 700+ hp output of the supercharged 6.2L Hellcat V8 means there’s nothing “mini” about this virtual contraption.
At the time of press, the pixel master had released a quick animation of the 2023 Hellram Concept, as he labels it. And while you listed to the voice of an actual Hellcat V8, make sure to zoom in on the little details. The tailgate has a surprise for you, plus, there are SRT-10 aero hints spread across the pickup truck.
We get to see a two-tone approach, with the orange shade meeting exposed carbon fiber. Nevertheless, the artist plans to revisit the project for some images, probably coming up with an all-in-one-color approach that may highlight the street bias of the “workhorse” even further.
What about a real-world Hellcat-animated Ram 1500?
Meanwhile, with the 2022 SEMA show approaching fast (think: November 1-4 with these crazy projects), we can talk about a real-world build of the sort. This was suggested in the comments section of Oscar’s Instagram post and shows a truck known as the Venom Ram (yes, that Venom).
Enthusiast Bart Triplett has been enjoying this fourth-generation Ram 1500 single cab with a Hellcat swap for a few years now. And the custom truck, which also features upgrades like massive Wilwood brakes, can be witnessed in the second Insta post below.
Even with the decals on the truck making for a trip into the Marvel universe, this 1500 remains a bit of a sleeper, so let that sink in as you enjoy the cold start showcased here. Or maybe you’d like to see this Hellcat-swapped Viper built by an aficionado who created a TRX before Ram did.
