2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee: Fastest production petrol ute considered for Australia

The covers have come off the 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee, with the range-topping SRT grade putting out 579kW and 922Nm from its 6.2-litre supercharged petrol V8.

While the Rumble Bee SRT matches the current Ram 1500 SRT TRX on performance figures, the 0-60mph (0-96.6km/h) time is 0.1 second faster than the TRX, completing the sprint in just 3.4 seconds – making it the quickest petrol-powered production ute ever made.

Given right-hand-drive conversions are undertaken by Walkinshaw in Melbourne, the high-performance pickup could be an option for Australian importer and distributor Ateco, with the previous Ram 1500 TRX offered here in 2022.

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Over the quarter-mile drag, the NASCAR-inspired Rumble Bee SRT also matches the latest TRX’s time, covering the 400-metre strip in 11.6 seconds.

For comparison, the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT is as quick to 60mph as the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR and the 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye.

Buyers in North America have the choice of two additional grades: the entry-level Rumble Bee with Ram's proven 5.7-litre V8, making 295kW and 556Nm, and a mid-range 392 variant, powered by a 6.4-litre petrol V8 making 350kW and 617Nm – translating to 0-60mph times of 6.1 and 5.2 seconds respectively.

None of the Rumble Bee range packs the newer Hurricane twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engines – it's V8 or nothing.

Despite the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee range featuring full-time four-wheel drive, there's an ‘RWD’ button, believed to decouple the front axle for burnouts and drifting.

A limited-slip rear differential is optional on the 392, though an optional Track Pack gains an electronic rear differential lock for drag racing and burnouts. Launch control and Brembo front brakes are standard across the range.

Ram has paid tribute to the original Dodge Ram SRT-10 – powered by the same 8.2-litre V10 engine from the Dodge Viper back in 2004 – with its styling being “unapologetically evil, menacing and purposeful,” according to the American brand.

“Somehow, the idea of muscle trucks was labelled unnecessary, but since that describes so many products that captivated enthusiasts' hearts, minds and wallets, Ram is going all-in, pushing for the last 10th with a full range of Rumble Bee muscle trucks,” said Tim Kuniskis, head of SRT Performance at Stellantis, Ram's parent company.

Ram currently offers a range of 1500 pickups in Australia, though the manufacturer hasn’t had a high-performance model on sale since it released the Final Edition version of the TRX in early 2024.

“We are super excited about the new Ram Rumble Bee unveiled in the US overnight,” said Ram Trucks Australia general manager Jeff Barber in a statement.

“Ram Trucks has an amazing catalogue of vehicles and, as always, we seriously consider all model variants.”

However, securing the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee for Australia could be difficult, given the expected demand in its home market.

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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