Jay Leno climbed behind the wheel of the 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee SRT with Stellantis North American boss Tim Kuniskis riding along. The truck arrived as Ram’s clearest statement yet that it wants to build performance pickups aimed at pavement and speed rather than just towing or off-road work. Early in the run the bright yellow paint received its official name, Rumble Bee Yellow, with Leno playing a part in the choice during the drive.
A supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 produces 777 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque, which is an impressive amount of power for a pickup to say the least. All of energy is transmitted to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the specs are impressive so far: 3.4 seconds to 60 mph and an 11.6-second quarter-mile run at 116 mph. They aim targeting a top speed of 170 mph, which would beat the previous production truck record.
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Leno was surprised to see that the truck handles nothing like a large pickup truck should. Ram cut 13 inches from the front of the wheelbase, stretched the track by 6 inches, and lowered the stance. They also created adjustable air suspension, which allows this 6,000-pound truck to corner with ease. Despite the fact that the big greenhouse allows superb visibility, the vehicle feels smaller and lighter on the road than the figures indicate. Leno says it is more similar to a Dodge Challenger than a standard work truck.
The Quad Cab and Short Bed design is little shorter than usual, but it still has four doors and plenty of space for gear. It still has a towing capacity of 8,890 pounds and a payload of around 1,160 pounds, so it still packs a punch despite its attempts to be more agile.
Kuniskis used his time with Leno to lay out the complete Rumble Bee family. A base edition with a 5.7-liter V8 producing 395 hp is projected to cost around $60,000. The mid-range variant has a 6.4-liter V8 that produces 470 horsepower. The top-tier SRT model features a supercharged engine. They all have the same shorter chassis and broad body panels used on Ram’s performance trucks. Base variants should be available in showrooms by the end of the year, with more premium models following in early 2027.
Inside, you’ll discover Ram’s signature big, comfy cabin, along with a few unique performance elements. A flat bottom steering wheel with paddle shifters sits in front of the bolstered seats, and the orange stitching and highlights that match the supercharger bits provide a touch of style. Higher models have larger screens and higher-quality materials, but they don’t sacrifice any of the utility that distinguishes trucks.
Leno’s drive revealed how well the Rumble Bee fills the gap left by the discontinuation of Dodge’s V8 muscle cars. It’s the real deal because it has adequate power, sounds great, and handles like a dream, all while giving plenty space and capability for whatever the day throws at you. Kuniskis believes the entire project was inspired by a desire to develop an automobile that enthusiasts would like driving, even if the rest of the world was headed in the opposite direction.
