The Latest News, Rumors and Changes in the Truck World
New Ram TRX 1500 Gets Special Launch Edition
How do you top the apex predator of the truck world? By introducing the 2021 Ram TRX 1500 Launch Edition. Along with the world debut of the all-new ’21 Ram 1500 TRX super truck, the Ram brand announced plans to build a limited run of TRX Launch Edition models.
U.S. buyers will have to act quickly. Only 702 units will be sold as a commemoration of the TRX’s segment-topping 702 horsepower.
“The Ram team is as excited about the all-new ’21 Ram 1500 TRX as our customers are,” said Mike Koval Jr., head of Ram Brand, FCA – North America. “Many of those customers have been asking for something special, even above the TRX’s already loaded features.”
The TRX Launch Edition is visually distinguished by its Anvil Gray paint, which will be exclusive to the edition. Inside, each of the TRX Launch Edition trucks gets a special red and brushed-aluminum center console badge identifying it as a special, limited-edition TRX model.
The Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition package is coupled with the TRX Level 2 Equipment Group, adding carbon fiber interior trim, color accent package, Head-up display, bead lock-capable wheels, 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, dual-pane panoramic sunroof and bodyside graphics.
Production of the ’21 Ram 1500 TRX Launch Edition starts in early fourth-quarter 2020. The ’21 Ram 1500 TRX is built at FCA’s Sterling Heights, Michigan, assembly plant.
The ’21 Ram 1500 TRX is powered by the 702-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 engine, delivering a top speed of 118 mph. New integrated fender flares add 8 inches of body width, making room for new 18-inch wheels that are wrapped in 35-inch Wrangler Territory All-Terrain tires from Goodyear. This combination, paired with an all-new custom suspension and tuning geared toward high-speed desert runs, produces even more capability on the street or in the desert.
Million-Mile Nissan Frontier Returns Home to Smyrna
After more than a million miles of hard work, Brian Murphy’s ’07 Nissan Frontier is headed home.
Murphy swapped his “Million-Mile” Frontier for a new ’20 Frontier at M’Lady Nissan in Crystal Lake, Tennessee, the same dealership where he bought his ’07 Frontier more than 13 years ago. The Million Mile Frontier will retire where it was assembled, the Nissan Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant in Smyrna, Tennessee.
“Brian Murphy is the quintessential Frontier owner, so it’s fitting that he will be driving one of the first ’20 Frontier pickups in America,” said Craig Keeys, regional vice president, Nissan Midwest Region, Nissan North America. “Thank you, Brian, for illustrating the durability and reliability of the Frontier for more than 13 years and 1 million miles.”
According to Murphy—an independent delivery driver who regularly spends 13 hours a day on the road—the original clutch on his Frontier King Cab lasted 801,000 miles, the timing chain was replaced as preventative at 700,000 miles, and the radiator and alternator lasted about 450,000 miles each. Even the driver’s seat lasted a half-million miles before being replaced.
And though it still “runs great,” said Murphy, he’s ready for his new ’20 Frontier SV King Cab 4×4. “I’ll miss this truck, no doubt, but I’m glad it’s going back ‘home’ to Smyrna,” said Murphy. “At the same time, I’m ready for my next chapter, and I can’t wait to experience my new Frontier and its all-new powertrain. I know that this ’20 Frontier will bring the same durability that I’ve relied on for over 13 years.”
Murphy, 62, says he’d like to reduce his work hours over the next few years, making a “Million-Mile Frontier 2” unlikely—but not completely out of the picture.
“I’d never say never—especially in a Frontier.”
While Murphy’s ’07 Frontier came off the assembly line in Smyrna, the 2020 Frontier is now assembled at the Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant in Canton, Mississippi. The Canton plant will also be the home of the forthcoming, all-new Frontier.