Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Trucks/Pickups, Dodge
SEMA 2008: Dodge Rams its new truck down our throats
Click above for hi-res gallery of the four Ram concept trucks
We noticed that the Chrysler Group is pretty excited about the Challenger after visiting the Mopar Underground display at SEMA this year. We are too, but it's not just Challengers on display in Vegas. There are also a handful of custom '09 Dodge Ram pickups here, as well. We previewed these four Ram truck concepts recently, all tuned by the automaker's in-house Mopar Underground division. Seeing the trucks in person gave us a better understanding and appreciation of each. Where we previously only had sketches and descriptions, now we have live shots and a sense of these pickups' grandeur.
The bright yellow Dodge Ram TRXtreme looks a little less aggressive than the official sketch, but more than capable of tackling the artificial dirt mound set up in the booth. The blue-with-black-stripes Dodge Ram R/T is based on the '09 Ram Sport and looks like a good hauler for a race-spec Challenger. Actually, it looks like it could keep up with a Challenger. The Ram Sportsman, meanwhile, was the one with the "blowing leaves" camouflage paint job, which was so effective that we couldn't find it anywhere in Dodge's display. Last, but definitely not least is the Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package (above). It features a special Mopar Underground body kit with side sill extensions and a chin spoiler, a slight drop in ride height, 22-inch Mopar wheels and a dual-snorkel hood. This 4-door street machine is the one we'd most like to park outside our garage. Full details of each are in the press release after the jump and lots of live, high-res pics in the gallery below.
Photos copyright ©2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE:
Dodge Ram TRXtreme
The 2009 Dodge Ram TRXtreme plays up the off-road capabilities of the 2009 Ram TRX package. Starting life with a quad cab TRX-4 off-road truck, it was easy to upgrade this truck to a serious off-road machine. Mopar Underground design team added 4.5-inches of extra ground clearance using a Mopar lift kit. This made room for Mopar polished and forged 20-inch wheels wrapped in knurly BFG 37X12.50's. The paint is a bright yellow and mineral grey two-tone incorporating a mud splash theme. A set of Mopar wheel flares, a wheel-to-wheel Mopar tube step and a box rail are painted to match the theme. Rearward visibility comes from the Mopar aftermarket telescoping mirrors, which extend when needed. The one-off steel hood with cooling louvers and larger grille take care of any heat issues that may arise under severe use. A bed accessory system from Mopar holds off-road gear and a Mopar tuned dual exhaust system gives an impressive growl. Interior features include a Mopar navigation system, DVD headrests and Mopar leather seats by Katzkin.
Dodge Ram R/T
The Dodge Ram R/T starts off with a 2009 Ram Sport with a 380-horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8, a 4.10 gear and a high stall converter, which rockets the truck to impressive times. With this blank canvas, Mopar Underground created a Dodge Challenger-inspired version of the Dodge Ram. On the performance side, a Mopar cold-air intake kit to keep the engine breathing and a Mopar dual exhaust system with a performance rumble. The exterior is painted classic B5 blue with a Mopar dual-snorkel aluminum hood and carbon fiber accent stripes. Dropped chassis is possible with a concept Mopar air suspension kit. The look is made more evident by the body kit, consisting of sill and box pieces, finished up with a chin spoiler. For wheels, concept Mopar 22-inch Alcoas wrapped in 285/45R22s in front and 305/40R22s in the rear. A Mopar hard tonneau cover and a unique integrated spoiler are combined with the Mopar bed mat showing an ambient under-rail LED lighting system. The interior features Katzkin leather seats with body color stitching to match the instrument panel and steering wheel. A set of Mopar Pedals are installed, adding to the performance look and capability
Dodge Ram Sportsman
The most noticeable aspect of the 2009 Dodge Ram Sportsman is the unique blowing-leaves paint scheme inspired by a new interpretation of traditional camouflage designed by Mopar Underground. The paint is protected by a set of accent Mopar wheel flares and running boards with an integrated step. The Sportsman features Dodge's exclusive RamBox storage system, filled with plenty of outdoor gear, and the bed rail system holds a cargo rack for additional cargo capacity. The Mopar telescoping trailer tow mirrors aid in rear visibility and match the color theme. The vehicle gets the right stance and added capability with a Mopar two-inch lift kit supported by Mopar polished and forged 20-inch wheels with 33-inch tires. You'll never get lost with the Mopar navigation unit, but if you do you will be able to enjoy SIRIUS® Satellite TV or movies on the Mopar headrest DVD system. Sit back and relax in the perforated leather Mopar seats by Katzkin, embroidered with the Sportsman logo. The steering wheel and door pulls have been trimmed to match, and the Mopar ambient lighting system gives a unique glow to the interior.
Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package
Using a 2008 Dodge Ram Sport, the exterior blackberry paint really plays up the Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package. This Mopar Underground concept truck features a Mopar body kit consisting of sill extensions and a chin-spoiler. A slight Mopar body drop/leveling kit and Mopar concept 22-inch polished Alcoa forged wheels add to the appearance. A Mopar high-style hard tonneau cover blends with the truck. To add to the aggressive look, the Mopar all-aluminum dual-snorkel hood sits over the 390-horsepower HEMI® V-8, which is backed with a Mopar tuned dual-exhaust. The theme is continued in the interior with Mopar ambient lighting. Mopar suede and leather seats trimmed with premium piping and stitching add to the high-end feel of the truck. The steering wheel and door pulls are trimmed to match for a complete package. Entertainment is delivered via a Mopar DVD headrest system and a Mopar-kicker audio system that will blow you away. The bed is also dressed with a Mopar bed rug and under-rail accent LED lighting.
[Source: Chrysler]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JDMlover 4:26PM (11/05/2008)
At least it looks better then the New & UGLY F-150
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Torrent 4:32PM (11/05/2008)
oooooh burned!!
TriShield 4:27PM (11/05/2008)
It really is a great looking truck inside and out. It's a shame about the current financial crisis and Chrysler's own crisis. If all their vehicles turned out as good as this they wouldn't be in trouble.
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Torrent 4:34PM (11/05/2008)
The blue one has me salivating.
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Brent 4:40PM (11/05/2008)
Sexy!
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TJ 4:41PM (11/05/2008)
The yellow one has me REALLY wanting another Power Wagon factory option... something to compete with the Raptor.
Hello, SRT....
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JDMlover 4:47PM (11/05/2008)
Yea...also give the 500hp + TRD Tundra some composition...its the fastest production truck on the market.
Toyota.
TJ 5:38PM (11/05/2008)
Your joking, right? The Tundra can't outrun the last gen Lightening, let alone the last-gen SRT-10 Rams.
JDMlover 7:37AM (11/06/2008)
Are you serious....where have you been???
My guess...under a rock
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Followup/articleId=133948
As proven somewhere in the Truck Challenge, the srt10 lost to the TRD tundra but, when they modded the srt10, it won by a car lane on the 1/4 mile. According to the host, Toyota and Dodge rule this department!
Toyota.
happy_penguin 2:39PM (11/06/2008)
Good luck stopping that truck when the brake lines get cut by the exhaust hangers. :)
Oh but you may not have to worry about that anyway. The camshaft will probably break before you get too far.
:)
la 5:01PM (11/05/2008)
you would like someone to write a short story or essay to the TRD Tundra? Seems kinda silly.
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happy_penguin 5:05PM (11/05/2008)
That's what a truck should look like, not that Japanese garbage.
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Mark 5:39PM (11/05/2008)
I think these are boring. I even drive a sport truck and the blue one couldn't excite me even though my blazer has 40 less HP and is 10yrs old.
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SteveO 6:23PM (11/05/2008)
I have a 04 Rumble Bee, its about time they came out with another special edition single cab Ram. I agree though w/ the comment above.... Hello SRT?! Where are you? Or damn, a lot of people would be happy to see a 6.1L in there at LEAST. We've been waiting since 2003 to see a 6.1 in a truck!
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SteveO 6:23PM (11/05/2008)
And also, they keep tweaking the 5.7L Motor to yank out more power that the 6.1L isnt looking like much of an option...hence the Challenger. I know, I know...The SRT has suspension, bigger engine, brakes....but that's all besides the point. The 09 Chally R/T is a better bang for your buck over the SRT.
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G-Meister 8:39PM (11/05/2008)
in the Ram the gap would narrow even more, with 390hp from the 5.7HEMI. The same 6speed manyal from the Challenger track package would be fun though
Joshua 8:12PM (11/05/2008)
no modification could justify how ugly this generation ram is. i was hoping after the previous generation they'd smarten up a bit.
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happy_penguin 8:30PM (11/05/2008)
lol Ridgeline...
mkevin88 11:46PM (11/05/2008)
+1 to happy penguin
ugg.tryptophan 8:25PM (11/05/2008)
two-door trucks are nice, well-designed two-door trucks are hotness, the Dodge Ram is a well-designed two-door truck
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