Holy Cow, It’s a New Ram!
There are a lot of strange things you might see on the streets of Detroit at any given time. But that’s a story for another day. What you’re not likely to see is a herd of long horn cattle driven by several cowboys on horseback.
But in the middle of a cold January in the Motor City, the cows were a comin’ down Washington Boulevard in front of Cobo Center, the massive exhibition hall that’s home each year to the internationally renowned North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
Cows. Auto Show. Think never the twain shall meet? Think again. Chrysler—known for off beat and innovative vehicle reveals—used the urban cattle drive to launch the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram, a truck that’s bigger and bolder than ever.
First, a little historical perspective. Dodge was barely a player in the pickup market back in the 1970s and ’80s. Finding a Ram amongst the GMCs, Chevys and Fords of the world was a little like finding Rush Limbaugh at a Democratic National Convention. That all changed in 1994 when Dodge took the wraps off a radically restyled Ram. Its bold, big-rig appearance was impossible to ignore, like it or not. “Since the dawn of the big-rig look, the Dodge Ram has always been a game-changer,” said Jim Press, Vice Chairman and President of Chrysler LLC. “This is our all-new game-changer, Press told reporters at the NAIAS.
Detroiters got one of their first looks at the 1994 Ram in the fall of 1993 at the Michigan State Fair where it was displayed, ironically enough, near the Dairy Barn. Reactions varied from smiles to puzzled looks.
“In 1994 we put a truck on the market that tripled our market share,” said Ralph Gilles, Vice President of the Jeep®/Truck Design Studio. “Our design was polarizing. People loved it or hated it. But the people who loved it bought it. They still do because the Dodge Ram continues to stand out from the herd of ‘me-too’ trucks.”
The all-new 2009 Ram builds on the big-rig style of the original ’94 model, but now features HEMI® power and more than 35 new or improved features compared with the 2008 model. The new Ram is offered in regular cab, Quad Cab® and crew-size cab with three box lengths: 8' (regular cab), 6' 4" (regular cab and Quad Cab) and a new-for-2009 box length of 5' 7" (Ram Crew 1500). Five trim levels are available, each with a unique appearance: ST, SLT, TRX, Sport and the top-of-the-line Laramie model.
HEMI® Power, Of Course
Outside, the 2009 Ram features a redesigned aluminum hood with a large power bulge and forward-canted grille, barking a “head down, ready to charge” attitude, while the front and rear bumpers wrap around each body side. The rear bumper on HEMI-equipped models is radiused over chrome dual exhaust tips—a first in the light-duty pickup market. Hot-looking 20-inch wheels are available in three unique styles.
Headlining the powertrain lineup on the ’09 Ram is the new-generation 5.7L HEMI V8, which kicks out 380 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque. Order up your new HEMI Ram R/T regular-cab 4x2 model with a short bed and 4:10 gears and you’ll see 60 miles per hour whiz by in just 6.1 seconds. Of course, that Dodge Charger police car you just blew by will see it as well, so you’ve been warned.
Other powertrain options include a 4.7L V8(310 horsepower/330 lb-ft) and a 3.7L V6 (215 horsepower/235 lb-ft). Four- and five-speed transmissions are available, along with part-time and on-demand four-wheel-drive transfer cases, and 3.21, 3.55, 3.92 and 4.10 axle ratios.
Convenience Features Abound
The new Ram features an available first-in-segment RamBox cargo management system that provides weatherproof, lockable, illuminated and drainable storage compartments integrated into both fender sides. Each box holds up to five cases of 12-ounce beverage cans. The RamBox system includes a bed divider/2-foot bed extender for oversize loads and a rail system with sliding, adjustable cleats for infinitely adjustable tie-down capability.
Another new segment-first innovation for the Ram 1500 is a pair of store-in-the-floor bins with removable liners that offer even more versatile storage—large enough for ten 12-ounce beverage cans and ice.
Electronic and infotainment choices include MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System with 30-gigabyte hard drive, navigation system, and a rear-seat DVD system available in the Quad Cab and crew-size cab. Also available is a first-in-segment live SIRIUS Backseat TV™ and segment-first surround-sound audio.
The interior of the all-new Ram stands out with a renewed emphasis on craftsmanship expressed in premium interior appointments including six-ring instrumentation, redesigned controls, chrome accents, and premium seating. All Ram interiors are significantly upgraded with “soft-touch” materials that feature industry-first two-tone technology.
Other creature comforts not normally found in hard-working pickups include heated and ventilated front seats, available heated rear seats, first-for-Dodge heated steering wheel, one-touch up/down driver and passenger windows, automatic-on headlamps and automatic temperature control.
There you have it. If you noted the terms industry-first and first-in-segment a lot, you’re not imagining things. With the ’09 model, Dodge is seeking to leap frog the competition in the hotly competitive pickup market. And the new Ram appears to have hit the mark. Just ask the cows. Don’t say anything about leather seats, though.
