ONE FINE RAM

Dodge Unleashes Game-changer Into 2009 Truck Market
by Bruce W. Smith
 

When we saw the first spy photos of the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, we knew it was going to be sharp. What we weren’t expecting here at Truck Test Digest was how sharp. The “new” Dodge Ram is stellar in all counts. And it should be making the other four full-size pickup players—Ford, GM, Nissan and Titan—squirm a little in their marketing seats.

Here’s what Dodge is bringing to the work places of America with the new Ram:

• First-in-segment coil-spring, multilink rear suspension fitted to a solid rear axle provides ride and handling capabilities unexpected in a pickup truck
• All-new, bold, powerful, “get-out-of-the-way” Dodge Ram design 
  • New, aggressive “grille-forward” design 
  • First-in-segment chrome-tipped dual exhaust styled dramatically into the rear bumper 
  • Best-in-class aerodynamics – an estimated .419 Cd
• Dodge Ram’s first-ever crew-size cab, giving Dodge an entry into the largest and fastest-growing part of the market. Crew-size cab accounts for nearly 50 percent of market
• New 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 provides more horsepower (380 hp) and torque (404 lb.-ft.), with increased fuel economy (an estimated 4 percent)
  • Shockingly fast performance: 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds
• New interiors with premium seating, soft-touch materials, redesigned controls, floor console with shifter, and nearly double the storage options
• More than 35 new or improved features
• Industry-first RamBox cargo management system (crew-size cab) includes versatile, weatherproof, lockable, illuminated and drainable storage bins built into bed rails (a total of 8.6 cubic feet of space); pickup bed divider/2-foot bed extender; and cargo rail system with four sliding, adjustable cleats
  • RamBox bins hold up to 10 cases of 12-ounce beverages, or other gear for work or leisure
• First-in-segment “store in the floor” storage bins with removable liners, big enough for ten 12-ounce beverages and ice
• First-in-segment heated and ventilated front seats 
  • Heated rear seats also available 
  • Heated steering wheel a first for any Chrysler LLCvehicle
• First-in-segment live SIRIUS Backseat TV™
• First-in-segment surround-sound audio system
• More than 30 safety features, including standard four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System and Electronic Stability Program with Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control
• All-new 2009 Dodge Ram to arrive this fall
• Light-duty diesel to arrive after 2009; two-mode hybrid powertrain to be offered in 2010 model year

Dodge unveiled their new pickup with in-your-face style: Having the 2009 Dodge Ram emerge from a herd of 120 longhorn cattle driven by 10 cowboys on horseback down Washington Boulevard in downtown Detroit during the 2008 North American International Auto Show.

"Since the dawn of the 'big rig' look, Dodge Ram has always been a game-changer," says Jim Press, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler LLC. "And this is our all-new game-changer -- the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram, which is packed with full-size pickup firsts and best-in-class features."
 

I owned a 1999 Doge Ram 1500 and loved the truck. It looked just right, had a good ride, and had plenty of power. I was really disappointed when the next iteration rolled out; the more European looks just didn’t fit my idea of what a Dodge should look like or what I’d want to been seen driving. The ’09 definitely brings back that Ram love.
 

 “Our mandate was to make a quantum leap and add even more voltage to Ram,” said Scott Kunselman, Vice President – Body-on-Frame Product Team. “Our all-new 2009 Dodge Ram is a game-changer in terms of capability, convenience, craftsmanship and safety.”
 

A HEMI WITH MUSCLE

Underfoot is the new-generation 5.7-liter HEMI that finally delivers what the name Hemi promises. It cranks out 380 hp and 404 lb.-ftof torque, rivaling that of the Toyota Tundra. Dodge will also offer a 310hp 4.7-liter V-8 and a 215hp 3.7-liter V-6 in the new trucks. But we know Dodge pickup buyers—and they, like us, will want nothing less than the Hemi.
 

Of course the new Ram will be available with either a four- or five-speed automatic transmission depending on the engine option. You’ll also be able to get part-time and on-demand four-wheel-drive transfer cases; and 3.21, 3.55, 3.92 and 4.10 axle ratios.
 

For those who want a Ram that smokes the other pickups, the Hemi-powered Dodge Ram R/T regular-cab 4x2 model with a short bed and 4:10 gears will be ready to rock. It rips 0-60mph times in 6.1 seconds. Want to play, Mr. Tundra?
 

The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram is offered in regular cab, Quad Cab® and crew-size cab, with three box lengths: 8-foot (regular cab), 6-foot-4-inches (regular cab and Quad Cab), and a new-for-2009 box length of 5-foot-7-inches (Ram crew 1500). Five trim levels are available, each with a unique appearance: ST, SLT, TRX, Sport, and the top-of-the-line Laramie.
 

LOADED WITH COMFORT

Those who relay upon their pickup for both work and family needs are loathe to give up comfort for performance. The ’09 Ram has the comfort/convenience areas blanketed.
 

Take storage for example. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram Crew 1500 features an available first-in-segment RamBox cargo management system that provides weatherproof, lockable, illuminated and drainable storage compartments integrated into both fender sides for effortless access and convenience. The top of each bed side opens up to reveal  4.3 cubic feet of storage space that can hold, well, five cases (120 cans) of  you favorite 12-ounce beverages, Hi-Lift jack, tow straps, tools, fishing gear, or whatever.
 

The bed is more than it looks, too. 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. The 2009 Dodge Ram’s tailgate features a standard assist feature that reduces the effort needed to raise and close the tailgate.
 

Another new segment-first innovation for the 2009 Dodge Ram Crew 1500 is a pair of “store in the floor” bins in the back seat area with removable liners that offer even more versatile storage. Dodge owners’ being the thirsty type, can put ten 12-ounce beverages and ice. Those with less need for drink and more for cargo will find these storage compartments are great for securing all types of smaller tools and gear.
 

There are many other convenient storage locations throughout the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram including a large upper glove box, map pockets in door panels and a configurable center console. All in all, there are nearly twice as many storage locations (38) in the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram than were in the previous model.
 

Driver and passenger comfort get nice treatment, too. The all-new interior of the 2009 Dodge Ram stands out with a renewed emphasis on craftsmanship expressed in premium interior appointments including six-ring instrumentation, redesigned controls, chrome accents, premium seating with improved bolsters and two-tone upholstery.
 

All 2009 Dodge Ram interiors are significantly upgraded with “soft-touch” materials that feature industry-first two-tone technology and premium fit and finish. Full-width contrasting stitching is offered on soft-touch instrument panels for Sport and Laramie models.
 

We liked what we saw in the way Dodge designers integrated the automatic-transmission floor shifter into a configurable center console, which is available for the first time in a Dodge Ram.
 

Technically sophisticated, yet simple-to-navigate electronic and infotainment choices include MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System with 30-gigabyte hard drive, navigation system, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system available in the Quad Cab and crew cab. Also available is first-in-segment live SIRIUS Backseat TV™ and segment-first surround-sound audio.
 

Other premium amenities include first-in-segment 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 dual-zone automatic temperature control — yet another first for Dodge Ram.
 

MORE NW INNOVATIONS

The 2009 Dodge Ram also gets rid of the one complaint many previous owners had about the Rams: the stiff rear suspension. An improved frame design incorporating high-strength steel supports an all-new, first-in-segment, multi-link coil spring rear suspension that improves ride and handling characteristics without sacrificing payload (up to an estimated 1,850 pounds) and towing capability (up to an estimated 9,100 pounds).
 

We can’t wait to drive the new Ram just to see how well they did the rear coil suspension. The controversy bewteen coils and leaf springs has been one the towing folks have debated for decades, saying coils just don’t work as well as leafs. We’ll see how that plays out when the new Ram arrives.
 

The body is what’s going to bring back any Dodge owners who strayed from the Ram flock when the previous model came out. The 2009 Dodge Ram features a redesigned aluminum hood with a large power bulge and a forward-canted grille, imparting a “head down, ready to charge” attitude, while front and rear bumpers wrap around each body side.
 

The rear bumper on HEMI-equipped models is radiused over chromed dual exhaust tips – a cool custom-look that iis a first in light-duty pickups. Anotehr nice touch is the way Dodge designers pulled the door sills down to cover the frame rails. Touches like these are what really makes the new truck look so sharp.
 

I don’t mind the new three-dimension badges, but the huge (250% larger than previous badge) I can do without. Hye! I know it’s a Dodge Ram and so does everyone else. Why ruin the cool looks you have going with a giant Ram’s had on the tailgate?
 

SAFETY LEADER
 

On the safety and security front, the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram offers more than 30 active and passive safety features. Among them are standard front and rear side-curtain air bags with Enhanced Accident Response System; knee bolsters and seat-belt pre-tensioners;  Anti-lock Brake System; BeltAlert® System; and Electronic Stability Control.
 

You can also add in items such as adjustable pedals and the always needed ParkSense® Rear Park Assist and ParkView® Rear Back-up Camera—amust for those towing or having a bed cap on their new pickup.
 

As for being all-American, the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 is red, white and blue. It will be built in two locations: Quad Cab and Ram Crew 1500 models will be built at the Warren (Mich.) Assembly Plant, and regular cab and Ram Crew 1500 models will be built at the St. Louis North Assembly Plan in Fenton, Missouri.
 

Neither pricing nor date of availability have been announced. But stay tuned to Truck Test Digest because we’ll be on top of those announcements like a Ram on the Tundra.—Bruce W. Smith