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Photo: OG Schaefchen | YouTube
The Ram 1500 TRX is a beast from the moment it rolls off the production line in Sterling Heights, Michigan. But it definitely isn't a car to hit 185 mph on the highway or any way for that matter. However, the owner of this Ram thinks he can do it.
For his attempt, Austrian-born OG Schaefchen went to the only place in the world where drivers can flash past other drivers with the speed of light (well, not quite, but it sounds good in the context) and not get a speed ticket. And that is Germany.
Authorities are considering imposing speed limits on the no-speed-limit sectors as well in order to reduce pollution and the risk of accidents. But before that happens, drivers are knocking themselves out, pushing the pedal to the metal for an overdose of adrenaline in a straight line, risking their lives in the process.
This man took his Ram 1500 TRX to Germany. His pickup truck is powered by the outrageous 6.2-liter HEMI V8 engine, which pumps out 707 horsepower (711 metric horsepower) and 650 pound-feet (882 Newton meters) of torque.
Those are steered to all four corners through an eight-speed auto box and are enough to give the 3.5-ton pickup truck supercar-kind of performance. It flashes from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in just 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 118 mph (190 kph).
These are the official figures. So, how can anyone think that the 1500 TRX can drive at over 185 mph on the highway without breaking a sweat? Or an engine. Or anything. For the sake of safety, we hope it can because the owner seems very determined to go all the way.
OG Schaefchen is planning to start by removing all safety features. The design of the vehicle is the enemy of aerodynamics. It is all sharp edges fighting the drag, beginning with an upright grille. But first, he is going to a tuning house so that the tuner removes the V-Max setting, which governs the top speed.
The truck rides on beefy BFGoodrich tires, but those are good for the off-road. He is going to switch to GoodYears for the high-speed ride. The tuning expert from Munich needs a ladder to reach the height of the engine compartment.
Hours later, the truck does feel quicker, but the wheels keep spinning and he loses traction from the start. He hits 250 kph in the sixth gear, goes to 270 in the seventh gear, and still has one more gear to go.
Watching the video might make your heart skip a beat when you see the driver looking the other way at 124 mph (200 kph). Furthermore, the one in the passenger seat says he does not feel safe. However, the speedometer can't go that far, so he just estimates the speed he hits. He believes he does 285 kph and thinks his truck is built for the autobahn.
The speedometer is blurred, probably in order to avoid confusion. The RAM 1500 TRX speedometer is not even scaled up to 185 mph or 300 kph because it is Germany where the attempt was made.
Almost a year ago, we reported about another Ram 1500 TRX hitting the autobahn. With the top speed electronically limited, it didn't go any faster than 117 mph (188 kph).
