Stellantis opened its 2026 account in sensational fashion on 1st January by throwing the silks from the 2027 RAM 1500 SRT TRX. A performance pickup truck that not only marked the much-anticipated return of the Street and Racing Technology performance division (the TRX is the first truck to officially don the ‘SRT’ badge since the 2004 RAM SRT-10), but also HEMI’s legendary 6.2-liter V8, in heavily revamped form. So much fettling has been done, in fact, that said eight-cylinders, which are mated with a 2.4-liter twin-screw supercharger, produce a howling-mad 777-horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque. An insane figure that rips the garland from Ford’s 720 hp Raptor R, and establishes the new 1500 SRT TRX as “the fastest and most powerful, production, gas pick-up truck in the world.”
What does that entail? Well, not only is the off-road-spec RAM, which could cost just $27K more than the 1500 RHO, capable of 118 MPH at the top end, it also completes the 0-60 MPH sprint in only 3.5 seconds. Put another way, this three-plus ton truck will hit 60 MPH from standstill barely two-tenths slower than a V12-powered Aston Martin Vanquish. Were that not impressive enough (and it really is), some of the sports coupes and sports sedans the TRX actually does beat to 60 MPH is beyond staggering….
Entries have been ranked according to their 0 to 60 mph times, in descending order.
Engine
3.0-liter (2,998cc) turbocharged inline-six
Power
382 hp @ 5,800-6,500 rpm
Torque
368 lb-ft @ 1,800-5,000 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.9s (A/T); 4.2s (M/T)
Top Speed
160 MPH
MSRP
$58,300
While the TRX will concede in humiliating defeat to Toyota’s fifth-generation Supra through the turns – even more so in the case of the Mk.V Final Edition, which throws in a carbon-fiber ducktail spoiler, re-jigged rear differential, and bigger Brembos, among other upgrades for the Toyota’s celebratory last hurrah – it’s a very different story on the 0-60 MPH sprint.
Both the Supra and the Final Edition, after all, use BMW’s 3.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, and pack the same 382 hp and 368 lb-ft outputs. Twinned with the eight-speed automatic, that’s more than enough to hit 60 MPH in a “manufacturer estimated” 3.9 seconds (the six-speed manual is a beat behind at 4.2 seconds). The last Supra will thus outpace a Nismo-spec Nissan Z, the sister GR Corolla, and even Volkswagen’s Mk8.5 Golf R. Despite this, the lithe, nimble Toyota will still cross the chequer four-tenths behind a RAM truck that could, potentially, weigh almost twice as much.
Engine
3.0-liter (2,981cc) twin-turbo flat-six
Power
388 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque
331 lb-ft @ 2,000-5,000 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.9s
Top Speed
183 MPH
MSRP
$135,5000
The second of several models in the 3.9 seconds bracket on this list may surprise you. Plump for the optional $2,540 Sport Chrono Package, after all, which unlocks Sport Plus drive mode, and the Carrera’s 3.9-second time immediately drops to 3.7 seconds (still officially two-tenths slower than the RAM, interestingly). Moreover, some publications have estimated that the Carrera’s sprint could be as quick 3.3 seconds, but 3.9 is Porsche’s official figure, so our hands are tied here…
Statistical nitpicking notwithstanding, there’s little else to question about Porsche’s entry-level 992.2 Carrera (not counting the $135K asking price). Power from the 3.0-liter flat-six, which now borrows twin turbochargers from the 911 GTS and intercoolers from the old Turbo, is up 9hp to 388 hp. Six decades of refining the recipe, meanwhile, means steering, braking, mid-corner traction, and shifts from eight-speed dual clutch gearbox are as whiplash-sharp as they’ve ever been. If not more so. We’re guessing Porsche won’t take this ‘L’ to Ram too much to heart.
Engine
3.6-liter twin-turbo V6
Power
472 hp @ 5,750 rpm
Torque
445 lb-ft @ 3,500-5,000 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.9s (A/T); 4.1s (M/T)
Top Speed
189 MPH
MSRP
$63,300
Cadillac’s soon-to-be-shelved CT4-V Blackwing is a frequent visitor to CarBuzz’ ‘best sport sedan’ lists, given its rarely equaled blend of refinement and bridled animal savagery. A leather-bedecked Cadillac at heart, the Baby Blackwing will cruise quite comfortably in Touring mode, yet, thanks to responsive steering, grippy Michelins, and a beautifully-balanced-but-still-rigid chassis, can be thrown about by the collar stiffeners without losing composure. At just a hair over $63K, it’s also significantly ‘cheaper’ than its BMW and/or Mercedes contemporaries too, both of which are run impressively close by the CT4-V Blackwing’s 472 hp twin-turbo V6. A six-speed manual even comes as standard, although you’ll have to swap that out for a 10-speed automatic for that sub-four-second 0-60 MPH time.
Admittedly, the V6 doesn’t quite have the legs on either the TRX or the larger CT5-V Blackwing, the latter of which punches a lunatic 668 hp from its supercharged V8 and completes 0-60 MPH in 3.4 seconds. One-tenth quicker than the TRX. Blackwing honor is dutifully restored, but, let’s be honest, the CT4-V was hardly letting the side down.
Engine
3.0-liter twin-turbo SIXPACK I6
Power
550 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Torque
531 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.9s
Top Speed
177 MPH
MSRP
$54,995
We know. We KNOW. Dropping the HEMI V8 from the Charger, of all things, is borderline blasphemous. Especially since the twin-turbocharged I6 that replaces it, in the entry-level model at least, is four-tenths slower to 60 MPH from standstill than an off-road-spec pickup truck that could easily tip over the 6,000-pound mark. For a sedan synonymous with standing quarter miles and blue-collar brute force, it’s a wobbly start.
There are plenty of upsides, however. The SIXPACK I6, the latest in a long-line of well-respected ‘muscular’ six-cylinders, brings internal combustion back to the table after Dodge’s bold but ultimately fruitless all-electric Daytona experiment. And does so by sending a sizable 550 hp and 531 lb-ft to all four wheels (yes, the front axle can be disengaged entirely for full hooligan burnout mode). Moreover, new underpinnings, specifically designed to hack bodyroll and understeer down at the knees, mean the Charger is more maneuverable, a) than this celebrated muscle car arguably ever has been in the last 59 years, and b) than the newest pickup from SRT. Which, let’s be honest, even five years ago was debatable.
Engine
2.0-liter (1,991 cc) turbocharged four-cylinder
Power
400 hp @ 6,800 rpm
Torque
354 lb·ft @ 3,000 – 5,500 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.8s
Top Speed
181 MPH
MSRP
$106,900
While it’s easy to pigeonhole Lotus sports cars for their benchmark agility (hardly a bad thing), it’s similarly easy to forget that the Emira, currently the only gas-powered coupe produced by the storied British brand, houses one of the most powerful four-cylinder engines on the market. Indeed, since 2018, Lotus’ parent company Geely has owned a stake in Mercedes-Benz through which said four-potter was developed, under the ‘M139’ name, specifically to supplant Mercedes-AMG’s fire-breathing but incredibly thirsty V8s. A move the German brand has since u-turned.
Mercedes’ strategic loss, however, is Lotus’ gain. While the four-cylinder pumps out the same 400 hp as the Toyota-sourced, 3.5-liter supercharged V6 with which you can also spec the Emira, torque is given an elbow from 310 lb ft to 354 lb ft. That still leaves the Lotus three-tenths down on the RAM to 60 MPH, granted, but the Emira will continue pulling furiously all the way to the 181 MPH. Who said Lotus was all about handling?
Engine
4.0-liter (3,982cc) biturbo V8
Power
469 hp @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
Torque
516 lb-ft @ 2,250-4,500 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.8s (est.)
Top Speed
183 MPH (limited)
MSRP
$138,150
Many were concerned, following its launch in 2023, that Mercedes’ second-generation AMG GT had gone soft. Not only was the “well-rounded” (yikes) GT longer, taller and heavier than the model it replaced, it also featured more cargo space and two optional rear seats, as Mercedes looked to take on Porsche’s luminary 911 rather than Chevy’s Corvette Z06. Four-wheel drive featured as standard, and the entry-level GT 43 even featured the same four-cylinder engine (double yikes) as Mercedes’ grocery-getting A45 S.
Merc’s engineering team has not gone completely potty, however. Each model from the mid-tier GT 55 up, for example, features a biturbo V8 punching at least 469 hp, just 34 hp off the old GT S. Rear-wheel steering, a more sophisticated limited-slip diff, plus more communicative steering, means the GT can be pushed harder in the corners too. And just 50% of the torque would ever reach the front axle. It lacked the rabid bite of its predecessor, true, but the second-gen GT was, most begrudgingly admitted, a far better sports car in consequence. Whether AMG purists will forgive the GT 55 for being out-dragged by a three-ton Ram, however, remains to be seen…
Engine
3.0-liter (2,993cc) TwinPower Turbo inline-six
Power
503 hp @ 6,250 rpm
Torque
479 lb-ft @ 2,750-5,500 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.8s
Top Speed
180 MPH (with M Drivers’ Package)
MSRP
$83,500 (M3 Competition); $86,400 (M4 Competition)
No, we haven’t made a mistake. Yes, BMW’s M3 Competition xDrive – M Division’s heir apparent to the now-discontinued M3 CS – will hit 0-60 MPH one-tenth quicker than the RAM in 3.4 seconds, thanks to its all-wheel drive layout and an extra 20 hp on tap (for which you’ll fork over an additional $5,100 USD, incidentally). The rear-wheel-drive M3 Competition, however, is powered by the same turbocharged six-cylinder, and, thanks to its 503 hp output, is still quicker from 0 to 60 MPH – 3.8 seconds – than Audi’s S5 and even Porsche’s E-Hybrid Panamera 4.
Opting for the 503 hp Competition Package also means a 30 hp and 70 lb ft hike over the ‘standard’ M3, plus more sportily-tuned suspension and a more hardcore differential setup for lairier handling. All of which, incidentally, is also rolled into the M4 Competition coupe, which shares the same chassis, same six cylinders, and the same 0-60 MPH sprint time. The only downside is that an eight-speed (non-dual-clutch) automatic replaces the six-speed manual as standard on the Competition. Without which, the M3 Competition would probably slip more than half-a-second behind the Ram.
Engine
3.0-liter (2,992cc) twin-turbo V6
Power
483 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque
443 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.7s
Top Speed
188 MPH
MSRP
$145,000
You probably half-forgot about the GranTurismo, right? Maserati’s flagship sports coupe, after all, has been in production since 2007, or the book of Genesis’ pre-launch (people are a little hazy on that detail). The latest, and only the second, generation was launched back in 2019, and there’s genuine concern that the Trident may disappear from the US altogether by 2030.
To dismiss the GT altogether, however, would be a mistake. Beneath that shapely bodywork, for example, lies a newly polished twin-turbo V6 that, while not as operatic as the naturally-aspirated V8 it replaces – few things are, in fairness – seriously punches above its weight by sending 483 hp to all four wheels. Activate launch control, and the GT clears 0-60 MPH in 3.7 seconds, two-tenths off the RAM but almost a full second quicker than the weary model it replaces. Opt for the $166K, 542 hp Trofeo meanwhile, and that 0-60 MPH sprint drops to a Ram-humbling 3.3 seconds.
Engine
5.0-liter (5,038cc) V8
Power
500 hp @ 7,250 rpm
Torque
418 lb-ft @ 4,900 rpm
0-60 MPH
“As low as 3.7 seconds”
Top Speed
166 MPH
MSRP
$69,075
Yes, you are reading that correctly. If you want an internal combustion-engined Mustang that will out-sprint the new TRX, your only option – deep breath – is the $328,000 Mustang GTD. The Dark Horse gets close (or we assume so, given Ford’s bizarrely non-committal performance figure) as Ford’s naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 still produces a volcanic 500 hp. For context, that’s the same power you got in Shelby’s 2007 GT500, for just over $69K.
Of course, quarter-mile-dusting power is only part of the Dark Horse’s story. The sordid mare is Ford’s in-house answer to the now-departed Mach 1, hence the larger anti-roll bars, bespoke chassis tuning, and Pirelli RS rubber evolved from the bespoke tires previously found on the McLaren Senna. Handling, consequently, is as good as you can get for any Mustang that can be legally driven on the road, even if a slight hesitancy through the steering means this ‘muscle car’ hasn’t quite tipped into de facto ‘sports car’ territory just yet.
Engine
2.5-liter (2,480cc) TFSI turbo five-cylinder
Power
394 hp @ 7,000 rpm
Torque
369 lb-ft @ 2,250 rpm
0-60 MPH
3.6s
Top Speed
180 MPH (with Dynamic Plus package)
MSRP
$66,100
What to hear something crazy? Despite beating nine other sports cars to the top of this list, the RS 3 is less powerful than seven of them (barring only the Toyota and the entry-level Porsche). In fact, power for Audi’s halo sports sedan has gone unchanged for nearly a decade. Granted, for the third RS 3, torque is up slightly from the previous model (354 lb-ft to 369lb-ft), and power is available higher up the rev range than before. And yet Audi’s turbocharged five-cylinder produces the same 394 hp today as it did in 2017. It is, however, seriously quick.
Coupled with Audi’s swift-shift seven-speed dual clutch ‘S tronic’ gearbox and ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive, the RS 3 will hit 60 MPH from standstill quicker than any segment rival from BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti, or Acura. It’s so quick in fact, that the RS3 trails a ‘standard’ Corvette Stingray to 60 MPH by only half a second. That alone is a testament to the RS 3, and, indeed, RAM’s new 1500 TRX pickup. Seriously, 0–60 MPH in only 3.5 seconds is very, very quick indeed.
Sources: Respective automakers.
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