If you thought the all-new Ram 1500 Rumble Bee lineup was already outrageous, you are in for a big surprise. Even before the first customer trucks hit the road, Ram has unveiled a catalogue of factory-backed performance upgrades, developed by its Direct Connection division, headlined by a supercharger kit capable of pushing the flagship Rumble Bee SRT beyond 900 bhp. Better still, these upgrades can be installed by authorised technicians without voiding the truck’s factory powertrain warranty.
The biggest talking point is undoubtedly the new 3-litre (yes, you read that right) twin-screw supercharger package. Entry-level Rumble Bee models powered by the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 see output jump from 395 bhp to more than 600 bhp. Step up to the Rumble Bee 392 and its naturally aspirated 6.4-litre Hemi V8, and the figure climbs from 470 bhp to over 700 bhp. Then comes the range-topping Rumble Bee SRT. Its already outrageous 777 bhp supercharged 6.2-litre Hellcat V8 can now be pushed beyond the 900 bhp mark, turning what is already one of the fastest production pick-up trucks in the world into something even more absurd.
The supercharger kit itself costs approximately Rs 9.6 lakh (in the USA) before installation. Besides the extra power, buyers also get unique engine covers and ‘Supercharged’ badging specific to each engine variant. Perhaps more importantly, Ram says the package retains a five-year/96,500 km limited powertrain warranty, provided it is installed by a certified Mopar technician.
Power isn’t the only thing getting an upgrade. Direct Connection has also introduced a Ridetech-developed suspension package for the standard Rumble Bee and Rumble Bee 392. It lowers the front by 25 mm and the rear by 76 mm, and adds in adjustable monotube dampers and upgraded springs to sharpen the truck’s handling. The complete suspension package is priced at approximately Rs 4 lakh.
If you’d rather make more noise than more power, there’s also a MagnaFlow stainless-steel cat-back exhaust system. Finished with black five-inch tailpipes carrying Direct Connection branding it starts at around Rs 1.4 lakh. Matching bonnet and side graphics are also available, colour-coded to each engine variant for an even more aggressive look.
For decades, American enthusiasts have modified V8 pick-ups in search of ever bigger horsepower numbers. Ram has simply decided to save them the trouble by doing it at the factory. And honestly, a 900-plus bhp pick-up truck backed by a factory warranty sounds gloriously insane — and we’re all for it.
