Cleetus McFarland Creates The Ultimate Ram TRX

Automakers these days seem so afraid to take certain risks it’s ridiculous. We know the executives with their fancy Ivy League degrees are using all kind of sophisticated market reports to figure out what kinds of vehicles Middle America wants, but let’s be honest: they’re so out of touch they don’t know what the average consumer really desires.

Find out why off-roading a Polaris Slingshot is an excellent bad idea.

That’s where YouTuber Cleetus McFarland comes in. With a far more down-to-earth approach, the man knows what people love and gives it to them in spades. But his latest project really hits a sweet spot for truck lovers, especially of the Mopar persuasion.

With the help of a shop in Florida called Classic Rescue, Cleetus created what might be the first and only single cab Ram TRX. How Stellantis in all of its international leadership’s wisdom couldn’t make at least a handful of these is just one enigma wrapped in a mystery.

After all, a single cab not only looks great and hearkens back to a simpler time, there are performance benefits to such a configuration. That cuts quite a bit of the cub weigh, helping with acceleration, handling, and stopping.

Even more important, since the TRX is built for off-roading, the single cab layout improves the breakover angle significantly. The last thing you want to do while blasting through the desert in your Hellcat-powered truck is get hung up on a rock, tree stump, or other obstacle.

Now we know what some people will argue: a single cab truck isn’t as practical. After all, women drive 70% of car sales and they like vehicles the whole family can ride in, which is why even exotic brands like Ferrari and Aston Martin sell crossovers these days.

All that’s true, but the fact is there’s still a market for pure performance vehicles, including trucks. Not everything has to be huge and over-the-top luxurious, accommodating the whole family. After all, the C8 Corvette has no problem selling out every build slot.

So, Ivy League automotive executives, learn something from Cleetus McFarland and maybe consider listening to real enthusiasts without fancy educations. You might gain insight and capture a part of the market your competitors are completely ignoring.

Image via Cleetus McFarland/YouTube