2021 Off-Road Packages from America’s Big Three

December 23, 2020December 5, 2022 JM Logan 0 Comments addictive desert designs, Baja Designs, Chevy Silverado ZR2, Chevy Trucks, Ford Raptor, Ford Trucks, High Horsepower, Mickey Thompson, Off-Roading, RAM Trucks, RAM TRX, Rigid Industries, Truck and Off-Road

It was only a matter of time before the success of the Ford Raptor F-150 would force the hand of the other two parties in America’s big three automakers. Sure, they both had competent top trim level full-size pickups, but nothing that quite played in the same realm as the off-road titan. Well, batten down the hatches, Ford—you’re in for a full-size performance truck civil war.

Let’s take a look at the incumbent and the challengers entering this space over the next few years. It’s time to meet the 2021 Ford Raptor, 2021 RAM TRX, and upcoming Chevy Silverado ZRX/ZR2.

2021 Ford Raptor

For the past 10 years it’s been lusted over by pickup fanatics far and wide. With its bones coming from America’s bestselling truck, it has nothing to prove in this race. For 2021 changes look minimal, but could we see an engine upgrade option to stay ahead of the maniacs over at RAM?

INTERIOR/EXTERIOR

Nothing seems to be pointing toward anything too radical for the 2021 Ford Raptor. With the slight front fascia redesign of the standard F-150, expect the Raptor to receive the same treatment. We heard whisperings of the Raptor ditching the SuperCab configuration and only offering four full-sized doors. However, nothing has been confirmed as of this article’s publishing. Inside the cab, we’re expecting the “Work Surface” center console and flat-folding “Max Recline” seats to make their way over from the F-150.

Addictive Desert Designs Ford Raptor Front bumper — Bump up exterior form AND function with Addictive Desert Design’s Bomber front bumper for the Ford Raptor. The modern plate steel face of the bumper gives an aggressive styling, while the full 3/16″ aluminum skid plate allows the Bomber to be lighter than the OEM bumper. The Bomber is offered in three varieties: with 4 Rigid 360 6″ light mounts (*pictured*), 3 Baja Designs LP6 light mounts in the center, or two 20″ light bar mounts. Additional cube light mounts on each side of the bumper give even more lighting options.

PERFORMANCE

It appears the current turbocharged 3.5L V6, producing 450 ponies, will remain the ‘base’ option for the Raptor. But as you’ll see below, that just might not cut it anymore…

RAM intends to plunge this performance truck race into pure insanity, so Ford will need to keep up. That’s why, there’s a strong rumor Ford may outfit the 2021 Raptor with an optional 5.2L Predator V8. Yep, the same one that produces 760 HP and 625 lb-ft of torque in the Mustang Shelby GT500.

The possibility of stuffing the 660 HP EcoBoost from the GT also isn’t out of the picture. Engine aside, expect the excellent long travel suspension, optional limited-slip front differential, and beefy tires to remain.

2021 RAM TRX

702 HP
650 lb-ft of torque
4.5 sec 0-60 MPH
$71,790

We thought about just putting these numbers, maybe adding a WTF?!, and leaving it at that.

The Dodge/RAM group doesn’t exactly make ‘modest’ vehicles, and the 2021 RAM TRX may embody that better than anything else in their lineup. The TRX aims to make the Raptor look like a grocery-getter—and they’re not shy about it.

EXTERIOR

RAM takes the pig-nosed snout first seen on the Rebel and smooths out the front-end lines. The muscular hood features a massive functional scoop—with hidden marker lights—to cool off what lies underneath. The hollowed-out RAM badge on the grille allows additional airflow to pass through, similar to Chevy’s “flowtie” on the Camaro Z/28.

The front end is where the 2021 RAM TRX’s aggression is concentrated, and aside from flared fenders, the 35”/18” tire and wheel combo, and a few cosmetic touches, the rest is in line with the 1500 Rebel.

INTERIOR

While this is, of course, a performance vehicle, $70,000 should get you some refinement on the interior—and it sure does. The centerpiece of the cab comes in the form of a massive 12-inch vertically-oriented touchscreen. It’s got all your normal controls, but can also show a bevy of internal temperatures—transmission, oil, and coolant included—along with other worthwhile performance information.

The large digital gauge cluster also houses even more off-road-centric numbers, like power distribution to each wheel, and pinch/roll angle for climbing and descending. And along with other truck-specifics like trailer control and multiple drive settings, it’s got launch control… Yes, launch control.

PERFORMANCE

But let’s get things straight: buyers will look at the TRX for performance, and it’s got plenty for on- and off-road. The powerplant is a supercharged 6.2L HEMI V8 Hellcat, which boasts a bonkers 702 HP and 650 lb-ft of torque. RAM officially prints the 0-60 MPH as 4.5 seconds, but MotorTrend tests had it at 4.1 seconds, and Car and Driver clocked it at an insane 3.7 seconds.

All this power is mated to a surprisingly smooth 8-speed transmission. The beefed-up frame and suspension features Bilstein Blackhawk E2 active dampeners and remote reservoirs, giving the TRX an impressive 11.8 in. of ground clearance and 14 in. of rear-wheel travel.

Perhaps it’s no real surprise the 2021 RAM TRX was just named MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year.

2022/23 Chevy Silverado ZRX/ZR2

Perhaps the dark horse in the full-size domestic performance pickup space is the upcoming Silverado ZRX—which we were slated to see for the 2022 model year, but due to COVID delay, sources are saying 2023 is more likely. GM trademarked the ‘ZRX’ name, which looked to be set in stone, but it would seem that the marketing team came to their senses and swapped it out for the ‘ZR2’. Having a TRX and ZRX in the same domestic performance truck segment would probably cause some major confusion.

Chevy Silverado ZR2 Rendering from https://www.musclecarsandtrucks.com — *Rendering: musclecarsandtrucks.com*

Of course, since it’s at least 1.5 years off, there are still plenty of things we don’t yet know about the high-performance Chevrolet. Interior and Exterior styling are just speculation at this point, but like the other trucks in this segment, expectations are tempered to just slight tweaks to the higher trim-level Silverado.

PERFORMANCE

We’re hearing one thing the ZR2 will not have is the power output of the RAM or Ford. Rumors abound of a new supercharged 6.2L V8 in the works for GM pickups, but it’s more likely we’ll see the 6.2L that’s currently available—at least at launch. And 420 HP is nothing to sneeze at. However, considering the numbers teased by the two trucks above, it does seem a bit underpowered.

So, Chevy will need to attract consumers in different ways, rather than entering into a HP measuring contest. We think the best way to do that would be incorporating several design elements from the concept rendering floating around the web (pictured below). Surely more information will become available on the ZR2 as months pass, and we’ll be sure to pass along everything we know, here at The Engine Block.

If money were no option, which of these 2021 off-road beasts from America’s Big Three would you buy? Tell us in the comments which mods you’d make.