The Ram Rumble Bee, the brand’s new muscle truck, is already sold out – not just for this year, but for next year as well. The first Bee off the lot actually sold for $1.5 million to UFC boss Dana White. This was at a charity auction, but still, we don’t remember ever seeing a Nissan Frontier or a Chevy Colorado pulling in a bid like that.
We’re still waiting for confirmation of a 2028 Rumble Bee. In the meantime, if you missed your shot, an SRT-10 is a solid alternative.
Why The Rumble Bee Sold Out In 90 Minutes: 777 hp And A Supercharged V8
When we first covered the Ford F-150 Lobo, we were thrilled by its aggressive visual design, and disappointed by the absence of any real performance enhancement. It looks like the pickup truck Batman would drive, but it packs the same 400-horsepower Coyote engine you’ll find in an XL model.
Maybe we’re just spoiled on horsepower these days. 400 hp is nothing to sneeze at. But you expect a pickup that looks like that to run circles around your uncle’s work truck.
The Rumble Bee is a whole other story. Here are some of the key performance upgrades in this beast:
- 777 hp in the SRT model, courtesy of a 6.2-liter supercharged V8.
- Upgraded suspension with Bilstein monotube shocks and longer arms than a standard Ram 1500.
- The frame is shortened by 12 inches to reduce frame flex.
- TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission.
- One inch of suspension drop up front, and three inches in the rear.
Ram has not produced official sales numbers for the Rumble Bee, but the automaker isn’t hesitating to remind everyone that the 2026 calendar-year allocation sold out in 90 minutes, and the Q1 2027 models were gone within 24 hours.
Only One Other Truck Competes With The Rumble Bee – And It Costs Twice As Much
2027 Ram 1500 Rumble BeeRam
We saw it coming. The only production truck that compares is the 810-hp Ford F-150 Super Snake Sport, with just 500 units produced for the 2026 model year. The Rumble Bee fills a specific slot in the market. It’s the perfect truck for enthusiasts who can afford a little extra power, but who might not have a quarter of a million dollars lying around for a visit to Hennessey.
It may be too late to grab a Bee of your own now, but the SRT-10 might actually be the better buy.
10 Cylinders Of Naturally Aspirated Power
Something we love about the 2006 Ram SRT-10 is its relative simplicity. It doesn’t use turbos, superchargers, or a hybrid powertrain to reach its 500-hp power rating; it simply borrows the V10 engine from the Dodge Viper.
The Ram Rumble Bee SRT can hit 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, but the 470-hp 392 model roughly matches the 2006 Ram SRT-10’s takeoff at around 5.2 seconds. 20 years later, and it’s still keeping pace with brand-new muscle trucks.
The SRT-10 Is Somewhat Rare, And Fairly Affordable
2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10Stellantis
Surprisingly, the Dodge Ram SRT-10 is only somewhat rare. That is, there aren’t a lot of these trucks out there, but it’s not impossible to find one with relatively low miles, in good condition, and for about half the price of a new Rumble Bee SRT.
Checking the used car market, we were able to turn up the following listings and auctions:
- A 26,032-mile 2005 model is selling for $46,696 in Florida.
- An 88,001-mile 2005 model is selling for $38,000 in Nebraska.
- A 7,601-mile 2006 model is selling for $53,485 in Virginia.
- An auction just closed, earlier this month, at $39,500 on a 2004 model with 15,000 miles on the odometer.
- A 2004 model was auctioned for $35,250 early last year with 25,000 miles on the odometer.
These prices might not be chump change, but let’s compare them to the base MSRPs on a Rumble Bee, before taxes, destination, and other costs.
Trim
Engine
Base MSRP
Rumble Bee
5.7-Liter 8-Cylinder
$59,995
Rumble Bee 392
6.4-Liter 8-Cylinder
$69,995
Rumble Bee SRT
6.2-Liter Supercharged 8-Cylinder
$95,000
By the time these trucks hit the used market, we’re willing to bet they’ll be going for well above their sticker price. With that in mind, an asking price of $40,000 to $50,000 for an SRT-10 sounds like a steal.
Ram Isn’t The Only Game In Town
2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10Stellantis
Whether you’re buying a new or classic muscle truck, you have plenty of options beyond Dodge and Ram. Here are a few of our favorites from the last 20-odd years.
The Ford F-150 SVT Lightning Is Due A Comeback
2002 Ford Ranger SVT Lightning BoltFord
- 5.4-Liter Supercharged V8 (2004)
- 380 hp
- 0-60 in 5.2 Seconds
It might be confusing to bring the Lightning muscle truck back right after retiring the electric pickup of the same name, but if Ford isn’t doing anything else with the nameplate, the brand might as well. The Lightning produced 380 hp from a supercharged V8 in its final model year, 2004. An 18,000-mile 2004 model was auctioned off for $42,500 last summer.
The Chevy SSR Is One Of Our Favorite “Ugly” Cars
2003 Chevrolet SSRChevrolet
- 6.0-Liter V8 (2006)
- 390 hp
- 0-60 in 5.5 Seconds
Looking a bit like an El Camino that got stung by a bee, the 2003-2006 Chevy SSR is a largely forgotten muscle truck, comparable to the retro-styled crossovers of the era, like the PT Cruiser.
It might look funny, but it’s packing a 390-horse V8 under the hood, clearing 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds. Let them laugh while they choke on your tire smoke. The SSR can be had at a bargain price if you shop around – one sold for just $17,750 with 73,000 miles on the odometer this summer.
The Toyota Tacoma X-Runner Was The Last Of Its Kind
The Toyota Tacoma X-Runner harks back to the Nineties when 2WD trucks with big engines, dropped suspensions and cool body kits were all the rage. About time, it came back into vogue.Toyota
- 4.0-Liter Supercharged V6 (2014)
- 300 hp
- 0-60 in 7.0 Seconds
The Tacoma X-Runner was arguably the last true performance street truck of the 2010s. The TRD team added a lowered double-wishbone suspension, Bilstein shocks, underframe cross-bracing, and an optional supercharger to turn the beloved mid-sizer into the ultimate muscle machine.
The most recent auction we could find closed in May this year at $30,500 for a 2013 model with just 25,000 miles on the odometer. Ram may well end up producing enough Rumble Bees to go around, but automakers love producing these one-year performance models and leaving money on the table while enthusiasts beg them to bring them back. Thankfully, Ram doesn’t have a monopoly on the segment.
Sources: Ram, Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet.
