Best known for its range of off-road motorbike shocks, Fox Factory has in recent years turned its attention to cars, with its dampers found in performance models such as the Ford Ranger Raptor.
Though rough surfaces is its expertise, the firm looks set to launch a road-focused vehicle, teasing a new variant of the Ram 1500 pickup on social media.
Due to be revealed on October 6, the model is expected to be sold through Ram given its collaboration with Fox Factory on the post, while the use of the Hemi hashtag suggests this will have a V8 engine under the bonnet.
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We can’t see much, though it obviously looks considerably lower than most Ram 1500s already on sale, while a lip spoiler with bronze highlights (plus a bronze tow hook) plus wide, low-profile tyres suggests this will be a vehicle optimised for on-road performance.
Fox Factory is no stranger to lowered ‘street trucks’, having done so with the Chevrolet Silverado as a third-party package, while Ford is so far the only real competitor in the market with its F-150 Lobo – though this isn’t lowered anywhere near as much as the teased Ram.
Numerous commenters have speculated the Fox collaboration could see the return of the Ram SRT, having previously been another lowered street truck with the V10 engine from a Dodge Viper.
Ram’s parent Stellantis – which also owns Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler – announced the revival of its Street and Racing Technology division in July, after confirming the axed Hemi V8 engine would also be resurrected.
In the US, Ram 1500 variants where the V6 is standard (Tradesman, Express, Warlock, Big Horn, Lone Star) sees the Hemi listed a US$1200 (A$1850) option, compared to the US$1695 (A$2610) twin-turbo six-cylinder Hurricane SO. The Hemi V8 is a no-cost option for 1500s with the more potent Hurricane HO.
According to Automotive News, the Hemi V8’s return in the Ram 1500 has led to a 10 per cent increase in sales last quarter, while on average pickups at dealerships are selling within five days, well down on the normal time.
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