Back in the mid-2000s before the F-150 Raptor, performance trucks were oriented towards street-use rather than aggressive off-roading. There were trucks like the supercharged Ford F-150 Lightning and the Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT-10 but these have now been replaced with off-road models like the Silverado Trail Boss and F-150 Raptor. Even though their intended purpose has changed, the idea of a performance truck seems alive and well, especially in the eyes of Ram.

When asked by Motor1 about the possible return of performance pickups like the SRT-10, Ram Brand boss Jim Morrison said, "I think enthusiasm, trucks, and performance is always a connection. Americans love that kind of stuff."

While this statement is far from an announcement for a future SRT-10 successor, it does show that Ram is paying attention to what consumers want. None of the major automakers currently build a performance truck geared towards road use, but Ram could break the mold. We know Ram has been testing a production version of the Rebel TRX Concept (pictured below), which is rumored to use an 800 horsepower supercharged V8 from the Dodge Demon. The Rebel TRX could pose a major threat to the Raptor's dominance, with rumored off-road speeds of over 100 mph.

Unlike the SRT-10, the Rebel TRX will have a heavy emphasis on off-road ability. It remains to be seen whether or not Ram will also build a street version of the TRX for owners that don't care about off-roading. We'd love to see a street-oriented TRX with a manual transmission and a lowered stance, but what are the chances of that? For now Ram tells us, "we've got the TRX on the horizon, and we're looking forward to that," says Morrison. We still aren't sure when the production Ram Rebel TRX will make its debut but we are very excited to finally see another automaker take on the Raptor.