Roush Performance has long been known for its strong ties with Ford and on the surface, it may seem like the tuning company has exclusively worked with Ford for the duration of its existence.
This long standing tradition is starting to fray however with the tuner recently teaming up with Nissan for a tuning package for its Frontier pickup. However, it appears the firm wants more sales with Roush and Ram announcing a surprise partnership for a new performance truck.
Roush and Ram are cooking up something good
Little is known about what exactly is going on here, but a heavily shadowed teaser image suggests that we could be looking at a spicier version of either the RHO or the TRX. Both of these rigs offer different but potent flavors of performance with the RHO being inline-powered while the TRX embraces the Hellcat V8.
As for which of the two could be receiving the Roush treatment, part of this decision will depend on what Ram is looking to achieve. The TRX is already taking on its role as being a halo offering in Ram’s truck lineup once again, and buyers were very eager to see its V8 powered charms return to showrooms. An infusion of Roush sourced upgrades would help the Hellcat explore its full poential and unlock even more capability.
However, there’s also a chance Ram might go for an unconventional play and choose to give the RHO the spotlight. It’s no secret that this particular model has felt out of place in the lineup lately with the return of the TRX, but it still plays a unique role in the truck lineup. Upgrades to the twin-turbo inline would not only allow the firm to work with a slightly lighter canvas, but also show what the twin-turbo Hurricane can do when properly tweaked.
What else is in store?
While this mysterious performance truck will be the spearhead of this new partnership, Ram and Roush could expand further over the next few years. The recently announced Rumble Bee could easily benefit from some Roush magic and with Ram confirming it will be (eventually) re-entering the mid-size pickup market, that would open up a new avenue of customization for the duo if they choose to take on the challenge.
In the meantime, look for this partnership to be the proverbial best of both worlds. Roush gets to add another automaker to its roster of partners (perhaps ruffling a few feathers at Ford in the process) and benefit from enhanced sales. Meanwhile, Ram gets to expand its presence in the aftermarket, and also help it draw even more attention to itself.
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