Ford F-150 Lobo who? Chevy what? Ram just brought the thunder and with the Godfather of the Hellcat in the driver’s seat challenged the competition fiercely.
On Wednesday, the Ram Rumble Bee made a roaring return, but it’s not just one truck, or two trucks, or three trucks. It’s a lineup of four trucks, all equipped with Hemi V8s, and the premium model? A Hellcat-powered street truck that comprehensively meets the criteria for what a street truck should embody in the year 2026.
Sorry folks, no one opts for single-cab trucks. Sales statistics validate the online hand-wringing to merely be that.
The new Ram Rumble Bee SRT utterly outshines the Ford F-150 Lobo with its lackluster effort to qualify as a street truck. A 2-inch drop in the rear, modified bodywork, and enhanced cooling alongside a sophisticated differential just doesn’t cut it. Can you mention wheel gap?
Ford conceded defeat just nine months post the F-150 Lobo launch by introducing a supercharger kit for the platform afterward. However, a supercharger boosting output to 700 horsepower doesn’t transform the Lobo into a complete package. It merely addresses the power deficiency.
In April, Roush concluded what Ford attempted to initiate with the Lobo by introducing a two-door F-150 called the Nightmare. Yet, it stands as a third-party enhancement, not a factory-supported street truck.
All this is ironic considering Ford had first- and second-generation Lightnings, which were genuine street trucks. Lowered, and the second-gen model was supercharged.
Chevy and GMC? Not even in the running. Missing in action. This is unfortunate because there was once a Silverado SS wielding the 454, followed by the more contemporary Silverado SS in the 2000s.
Ram, oh the automaker certainly knows what it’s doing regarding street trucks. It’s the brand responsible for the Viper V10-powered Ram SRT10. Remember the Viper-powered truck with a manual gearbox? Kudos to them.
The Viper era’s concluded (RIP), but the Hellcat era is making a triumphant return. The Ram TRX is coming back with even greater power, featuring 777 hp. Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the man recognized as the Father of the Hellcats, oversees the revived SRT division. And voilà, we are now receiving a Rumble Bee with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, a Rumble Bee 392 with the 6.4-liter Hemi V8, a Rumble Bee 392 Track Pack, and certainly, a Rumble Bee SRT with the TRX’s Hellcat-derived supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 producing 777 hp.
Lowered. Broader. Riding on 22-inch wheels encased in the widest tires the company has ever installed on a vehicle outside of the Viper. And provided in a single Quad Cab short box layout, which is 13 inches shorter than the Crew Cab short box configuration. These street trucks are set to impress, and they appear to be, at least on paper, thoroughly designed street trucks.
If you intend to do it, do it correctly. It appears SRT has, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has interacted with Tim Kuniskis. Now we are getting a full-size Hemi-powered truck that runs 11s on the route to Home Depot, and you can thank Ram.
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