Drag Race: Ram 1500 TRX Vs. Shelby Mustang GT500

Last week, Ford lifted the wraps off the all-new F-150 Raptor. Like the last-generation model, power is sourced by a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. To make it sound more aggressive, Ford even benchmarked it against the Nissan GT-R and Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

But while it sounds more aggressive, the new Raptor is still no match for the Hellcat-powered Ram 1500 TRX in the performance department – at least not yet. Next year, Ford will fight back with an even more powerful Raptor R variant that will reportedly pack the same supercharged V8 as the Mustang Shelby GT500 tuned to produce around 750 horsepower. This inspired The Fast Lane Truck to pit the Ram 1500 TRX against a Shelby Mustang GT500 to see what Ford’s supercharged V8 can do.

Both of these monsters are powered by a supercharged V8, but the comparisons end there. Under the hood of the Mustang Shelby GT500 is a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 generating 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. The Ram 1500 TRX, on the other hand, packs a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 rated at 702 hp and 650 lb-ft, so it has less power but more torque than Ford’s pony car. Of course, the Ram 1500 TRX has a significant weight disadvantage since it’s around 2,100 pounds heavier.

Normally, a heavy pickup with less power wouldn’t stand a chance against a lighter, more powerful muscle car. However, despite the weight difference these two beasts are more evenly matched than you might think for one simple reason: the Ram 1500 TRX has all-wheel drive, whereas the Shelby Mustang GT500 sends its power to the rear wheels.

This makes for a compelling drag race: is the Ram 1500 TRX faster in a straight line with all-wheel drive or does the Shelby Mustang GT500’s power and weight give it the advantage? In the first race, the Shelby Mustang GT500 struggles to get traction as the driver struggles to keep the muscle car in a straight line, allowing the Ram 1500 TRX to be victorious.

With launch control enabled, the GT500 gets a better start off the line and closes the gap, but it still can’t catch up with the all-wheel drive Ram 1500 TRX, which finishes first once again. It was also a cold day and the GT500 was running on cold tires, but The Fast Lane Truck promises to do a rematch on a drag strip with a prepared surface. But what we’re really waiting for is to see the upcoming V8-powered Raptor R go head-to-head with the TRX next year.