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Roush Performance seems determined to collect the whole set of truck makers, having recently expanded its factory-backed pickup-fettling business beyond Ford F-150s and Super Duties to include the Nissan Frontier. Add one more to that tally, as Roush unveils its take on the 2027 Ram 1500.
Roush
Modifying the ModifiedWhat you see here is the Ram 1500 Direct Connection by Roush. It takes an already factory-upgraded full-size Ram and adds Roush-designed suspension, wheels, and, of course, dress-up parts. The result is a Ram better equipped for both off-roading and showing off.
You can think of the Ram 1500 Direct Connection by Roush as a sort of V-8-powered TRX Lite. (No shade to Ram's RHO, but it's available only with the Hurricane inline-six.) It starts life as a Big Horn 4x4 crew cab with the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 and 3.92 rear-axle ratio, plus the mandatory addition of the Level II equipment group. On top of that is Ram's own Direct Connection package, which adds the highly ventilated Sport Performance hood, the Night Edition blackout package, a set of skid plates, Mopar leather seats, running boards like those found on the TRX, a surround-view camera system, an electronic-locking rear diff, a trailer-brake controller, and liners for the rear wheel wells.
Roush
Roush
Then Roush does its thing. The suspension gets a once-over, swapping in twin-tube hydraulic dampers as part of the Roush Performance 2.0 Coil-Over system that increases ground clearance. The Night Edition's 20-inch wheels are jettisoned in favor of a set of Roush-designed 18s wearing 33-inch General Grabber A/TX tires. That holey hood gets the ventilation equivalent of mohawks, and there are new fender flares fitted with clearance lights at all four corners.
Modifying the ModifiedOn the purely aesthetic end of things, the decal package includes adornments for the hood, lower doors, and tailgate, as well as a pair of U.S. flags on the bedsides. The grille gets a trio of lights as well as a red-outlined Ram logo, and below that sits a color-matched bumper with red tow hooks peeking out. Buyers have their choice of Bright White, Diamond Black Crystal Pearlcoat, Forged Blue Metallic, Granite Crystal Metallic, and Molten Red Pearlcoat paint. Inside is a set of floor mats and some more badges that all say Direct Connection by Roush.
Roush
You'll also hear this modified truck coming thanks to a new Roush Performance active cat-back exhaust. It features driver-selectable modes, allowing the user to select the quantity of fumes and therefore noise that bypasses the mufflers. Any exhaust that makes it to the rear of the truck exits through black Roush-branded tips. We can attest that a Hemi Ram with exhaust cutouts is a glorious thing, as we equipped our long-term 2009 1500 with the same juvenile feature and look back on it fondly.
The Roush portion of this upgrade costs $15,995; adding that to the aforementioned Ram Big Horn configuration, which should sticker for $64,305, brings the grand total to $80,300. A 2027 Ram 1500 RHO, for comparison, costs $78,085 before options. Roush covers its parts with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty, and interested buyers can order the full package through a Ram dealer.
➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Ever since David was a wee Car and Driver intern, he has kept a spreadsheet listing all the vehicles he’s driven and tested. David really likes spreadsheets. He can parallel-park a school bus and once drove a Lincoln Town Car 63 mph in reverse. After taking a break from journalism to work on autonomous vehicles, he’s back writing for this and other automotive publications. When David’s not searching for the perfect used car, you can find him sampling the latest in gimmicky, limited-edition foodstuffs.