By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com
In a time when compact and midsize pickup trucks seem to be dwindling almost as fast as minivans and gas-guzzling SUVs, the full-size pickup truck market remains a highly competitive market. While many of these trucks are most likely designated to sole duty on a construction or work site, a growing number of full size pickups are being used as family vehicles and are treated like SUVs with very large cargo capacities.
In the truck world, the Dodge Ram soldiers on as the industry’s middle child. The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado are perennial sales leaders, while the relative newcomers, the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan, fight to chip away at their dominance. The Ram is solidly in third place among full-size truck sales, but Toyota’s Tundra is proving to be a much bigger success than many thought it would be.
After a much-needed mid-cycle enhancement for the 2005 model year, Dodge is redesigning the Ram 1500 from the ground up for 2009 to keep up with its competition and remain fresh. Above is an image of the production-ready 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 that was mistakenly placed on the MOPAR accessory Web site.
The most interesting aspect the Ram’s latest design are the integrated storage compartments that are positioned seamlessly above each of the rear wheel arches on the outside of the bed. The lockable, watertight compartments are much less intrusive to the overall design than those on the Nissan Titan, Chevrolet Avalanche or the commercial-only Ford F150’s new MidBox feature.
Up front, the new Ram’s styling continues to utilize the big rig styling that made the 1994 model so popular. Much like the 2002 Ram redesign, the grille angles back toward the headlights but is pulled off with a much more aggressive attitude similar to the Dodge Charger. It is possible that the Mega Cab models may be discontinued, but from the leaked picture the larger rear door and squared-off cab should add some much-needed headroom and legroom to the Ram Quad Cab. Overall, the new Ram’s design is a great evolutionary look, which takes some of Dodge’s recent popular design cues and incorporates them into a modern, attractive and useable full-size pickup.
In addition to the sleeker, aerodynamic design, the 2009 Ram will benefit from more fuel-efficient engines. Similar to full size pickups offered by General Motors, the new Ram will be available with a hybrid powertrain shared with the Durango and Aspen and developed in conjunction with BMW and GM. The 4.7-liter V-8 and 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 are said to be receiving increases in both horsepower and fuel economy. At least two new engines are expected to debut in the upcoming Ram including a bigger, base V-6 that will feature Chrysler’s Multi Displacement System (MDS) and a light duty, small displacement Cummins diesel V-8 (a light-duty Cummins V-6 is not out of the question either). Ford is also expected to start using smaller, light-duty diesel engines in its F150 when it is redesigned next year.
To help improve the ride and handling capabilities, the all-new Ram 1500 will use a multi-link rear suspension. Multi-link suspension is known for improving ride quality and off-road capabilites, this type of suspension is faulted for having lower towing abilities than a standard solid axle setup. The 2009 Ram 1500 is believed to be capable of similar towing ratings of the current model – which is among the lowest of full-size trucks. Seceding a competitive advantage in towing, it seems that Dodge is among the first to realize that if its customers want to tow heavy loads, they should opt for the 2500 or 3500 models.
Little is known about the interior of the new Ram but Chrysler’s MyGIG™ Multimedia Infotainment System, which features touch-screen navigation with real-time traffic and a 20-gigabyte hard drive with a USB 2.0 port, will almost certainly find its way into the new Ram’s cabin.
The official release of the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 will take place early next month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Between the Ram and the highly anticipated launch of the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, Dodge is looking to have a strong start to 2008.