Came along in 1980s with the distinctive name called RAM. Dodge Ram came to replace the older dodge D series from vintage era and since then, there has been five different generations on the production line, completing the membership to the tight pickup truck party of North America.
Ram model name turned into RAM Trucks in 2010 as a direct subsidiary of FCA US LLC separated from Dodge name for ever, solely responsible for design and production of full size pickup trucks of Chrysler Corporation. Although the brand name stood third from sales figures right after Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado in most of the years but it yet tows some serious awards and prizes through the long years of production.
The fourth generation Dodge Ram (2009-2019) or better to say, RAM came strong and ready to fight. The seriousness of the battle in pickup truck territory comes from the fact that the other two rivals are also the best of the best out there.
Ram knew its third consecutive place in the mix so it came strong with diversity of engine and transmission options. Way more than the other two rivals, Ram offered 7 different engine options in its fourth generation. Two V6s 3.6L Pentastar and 3.7L PowerTech, one 4.7 eco V8, two 5.7L and 6.4L HEMI V8s and two diesel powered engines one 3.0L Eco-Diesel V6 and the other monstrous 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel I6.
The seven engine options together formed all 1500, 2500, 3500 and chassis cab series of fourth generation Ram. Output ratings differ based of the production year but considering the most powerful setups for fourth generation Ram the V6 Pentastar and V6 PowerTech came with 305 HP and 270 lb.ft, 215 HP and 235lb.ft. The tow 5.7L and 6.4L HEMI V8s were rated at 395 and 410 HP, 410 and 429 lb.ft respectively. The diesel series 3.0L EcoDiesel and 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel were rated at 240 and 400 HP, 420 and 1000 lb.ft.
The 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel is the most power plant offered for Ram brings some serious towing and hauling capabilities for the Ram Truck series which also have some reasonable fuel consumption and low emissions making it the best truck out there for heavy duty logistic applications.
Transmission options are also vast and diverse. One single 6 speed manual was offered but the rest were all automatics including one 4 speed, one 5 speed, three 6 speed and one 8 speed completing powertrain setup for all fourth generation Ram Trucks along with optional 2x4 or 4x4 drive system for any possible applications.
As one of the leading pickup trucks out there in the mix, Ram also offers one performance truck called the Rebel. Ram Rebel base of the basis of Ram 1500 series came to compete with Ford F150 SVT Raptor as an all-terrain performance truck not just by a single add-on name or a decal package but as a fully tuned and setup off road capable pickup truck. The 2019 Ram Rebel model uses the Pentastar 3.6L V6 with 305 HP 269 lb.ft with 4x4 driving setup as standard.
The well-known 5.7L HEMI V8 is also available as an option with extra costs, brings 395 hp and 410 lb,ft to the mix. Although the Ram Rebel always stood behind the Ford F150 SVT Raptor from power output and off road capabilities viewpoint but its reasonable pricing range made it a more tangible choice from performance trucks’ list.
Ram came strong right of the bat. In 2019 IIHS picked this truck as top safety truck of the year. It was also “Truck of the Year” pick by Truck Trend, “Full Size Pickup Truck of Texas”, “Luxury Truck of Texas” and “Off Road Pickup Truck of Texas” for the Ram Rebel version. US News and World Report named Ram brand as the “Best Truck Brand” in 2020. For the twelfth consecutive year in 2020, Ram was awarded as “Best Buy” by Consumer Guide and for the second year in a row, Ram 1500 was named “Green Truck of the Year” by Green Car Journal.
Ram Trucks are one out of three most wanted pickup trucks ever built. The Ram 1500 MSRP range starts at nearly 32,000 USD up to 58,000 USD for the fully loaded limited edition model.