Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Ram

Dodge has a tough road ahead when it comes to selling the redesigned 2009 Ram. Though fuel prices have indeed dropped a bit in the last few weeks, consumers surely still have cash registers ringing in their heads when thinking of large V8 engines and four-wheel drive. So, to ease the newest Ram into the market, Dodge has decided to lower its price a bit compared to the outgoing model while also adding some unique and heretofore unavailable content to the mix. The dealings will start at $22,170 for base models with the regular cab, $26,225 for Quad Cab models and $32,530 for Dodge's first-ever Crew 1500 models. Opting for a top-end Laramie Ram Crew 1500 4x4 will cost you $44,140, which is on par with other top-of-the-line competitors from Ford and GM. Engine options include a revised 390-horse 5.7-liter HEMI, which will allow the quickest Ram to make it to 60 mph in less than six seconds, while a 310-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 and an anemic 3.7-liter V6 with just 215 horses on tap brings up the rear. See the full pricing breakdown after the break.


[Source: Chrysler LLC]

UPDATE: We've been informed that the 0% financing for 72 months offer is only available for the 2008 Dodge Ram. Financing details for the 2009 Dodge Ram will be announced at a later date.



The 2009 Dodge Ram appears to be a top-notch competitor in the light truck market, but that won't keep the soon-to-be-released model from feeling the pinch of high gas prices. Chrysler told dealers in a July 8th conference call that the new Ram would be launched with 0-percent financing... for 72 months. To put this into perspective, an all-new $30,000 vehicle with 7-percent financing would translate into a $511 per month car payment over 72 months. With 0-percent financing, the payment would be only $417, for a savings of nearly $7,000.

When the 2009 Dodge Ram was unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show, it was looked at as a potential savior for the Pentastar. Only seven months later and two months before its scheduled to go on sale, It's going to be launched with the same financing as the slow-selling outgoing model. Ouch.

[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]

The 2009 Dodge Ram is still a couple months from hitting the showroom floor, but we got a chance to check it out during a visit to the Chelsea proving grounds at the Chrysler media event. While we can't tell you how the new Dodge Ram drives, we are pleased to give you details of the revolutionary RamBox. We wanted to tell you how much we could fit into the bed mounted storage, but all we had was Mike Levine from Pickuptrucks.com. Follow the jump to view Mike as he tries to jam himself into one very confined space. Mike's a skinny guy, so he comes a lot closer to squeezing into the RamBox than you might think.

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Ram

Sure, it's not a great time to debut an all-new full-size pickup truck with sales falling fast courtesy of $4/gallon gas, but unlike Ford, which has delayed the release of its redesigned '09 F-150, the all-new 2009 Ram is coming despite fuel prices and market conditions. Pickuptrucks.com reports that the new Dodge pickup will actually be offering more power underhood than originally thought. The 5.7L HEMI V8 option will see its horsepower increase from 345 to a whopping 390, while torque goes up from 375 pound-feet to 407. It was originally thought the '09 Ram would offer 380 hp and 404 pound-feet of torque, so here we have a case of underpromising and overdelivering. The improvements in power come courtesy of variable cam timing, an active intake system, higher compression ratio, improved airflow and a reworked Multiple Displacement System.

And what of speculation that there would be a Ram model capable of achieving 23 mpg highway? Not in the cards says Dodge, who told Pickuptrucks.com that the most fuel efficient model would be a regular cab 4x2 with the 3.7L V6 and 3.55:1 rear axle good for around 14 city/20 highway mpg. All Ram models, however, will receive some boost in fuel economy, and there's also a new light-duty Cummins turbodiesel and Ram 1500 Hybrid coming after 2009. The fastest Ram model will also be significantly quicker than originally thought, with an R/T regular cab 4x2 sporting a 4.10 rear axle capable of hitting 60 mph in the 5-second range. With a new coil-spring rear suspension that should provide a more compliant ride without sacrificing too much towing prowess, we think the Ram may give Dodge an opportunity to pick up some market share in the full-size pickup segment, though the bad timing will almost certainly translate into lower sales overall for the truck despite its improvements.


[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Ram

Dodge announced today that its redesigned 2009 Ram 1500 will be 20% more fuel efficient than the 2008 model it replaces. The new Ram's reduced appetite for fossil fuels can largely be attributed to the truck's new, more aerodynamic styling and a diet that results in 80 lbs. less of truck to haul around. More important, however, is the newly revised 5.7L HEMI V8, which gets a big boost in power from 345 hp to 380 hp and 375 ft-lbs. of torque to 404. Despite the strength training, Dodge engineers still expect up to a 20% gain in highway fuel economy. For instance, the 2008 Ram Quad Cab Laramie with the old 5.7L gets 15 city / 19 highway, while the 2009 model will get 23 mpg on the interstate, so says Dodge. We should point out that these gains will only be achieved while highway cruising, so we expect the 2009 model to remain in the mid-teens around the city where aerodynamics are largely irrelevant and stop-and-go driving leads to low miles per gallon. Still, what gains in fuel economy there are to be had are still impressive considering the HEMI's big bump, which was needed in power to keep the Ram competitive with its Detroit rivals and the Toyota Tundra. With sales of profitable full-size trucks falling fast on account of high gas prices, we bet every truck manufacturer will be touting their own fuel economy improvements, however small, in the coming year.


[Source: The Detroit News]

You know those videos that sometimes automatically start playing when you visit automaker websites? You know how you usually click right past them? Sometimes, they're worth paying attention to. If you visit to the 2009 Dodge Ram website, you're treated to a tour of the truck by Ralph Gilles and Mark Allen. Before the design guys give their spiel, however, you get a very brief glimpse of a poster showing '09 Ram body styles and options/accessories. There, clear as day, is a shot of the forthcoming Ram R/T.

When the new Ram was initially unveiled, PickupTrucks.com confirmed that the R/T was indeed on the way. Word at the time was that the R/T would be a standard-cab, 4x2, short-bed truck with a HEMI, 5-speed auto, and a 4.10 rear axle ratio. As you can see in the photo at right, the truck gets a monochrome treatment (a la the Ram Sport), a deep chin spoiler, and a hood reminiscent of the one used on the Challenger R/T and SRT8. As PickupTrucks.com reported, expect the Ram R/T's powertrain combo to deliver a sub-7 second 0-60 time. It'll be interesting to see the R/T's marketplace reception, given that gas prices are likely to continue climbing for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately for Chrysler, it's a less-than-perfect environment for welcoming a new performance-oriented truck. Nothing a little cash on the hood and a locked-in gas price can't fix, right? Thanks for the tip, David!

[Source: Dodge]

A tight credit market, slumping construction, an economy on bed rest, an end-of-model year, and high gas prices mean one thing for pickup trucks: lots of brand new trucks waiting for buyers. Dealers trying to shift their 2008 Dodge Rams before the 2009s arrive are taking as much as $13,000 off the bill to try and convince buyers to come forth. That means you can get a Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab SLT 4x2 for $19,995, instead of $32,795.

With consumers being more picky about what and when they buy, it also doesn't help that dealers really don't want trade-in trucks either, since they can't do anything with them. What Dodge dealers hope for now is that Chrysler will manage the build-out of the 2009 models to give them a chance to get rid of the 2008s. Chrysler says it has a plan that will keep it competitive and keep the changeover orderly. For now, the Ram is the most heavily discounted vehicle out there.

For a dealer in Ohio, the matter of 120-day inventories really comes down to gas prices. "Until we get gas under three bucks a gallon," he said, "these pickups are not going to move." We're sure that no one wants that to be true, because if it is, there will be brand new 2008 Rams on showroom lots for a long time.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

click above to enlarge

We hadn't realized this until it was pointed out by Mike Levine at Pickuptruck.com, but when Dodge debuted the 2009 Ram 1500 at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show amidst a herd of cattle, it only had the Crew Cab model on hand. Regular Cab versions of the Ram have remained absent from public view... until now. Pickuptruck.com has the scoop on the two-door, two-passenger half-ton pickups, and we have to say the Ram's new design looks just as good with a small cab as it does with an extended one. The 2009 Dodge Ram Regular Cab can be had with either a 6-foot 4-inch bed or an 8-foot bed, and its wheelbase will be either 120 or 140 inches depending on the bed you choose. Unfortunately, the innovative RamBox storage solution is not an option on the Regular Cab for some reason. Trim levels for the regular cab include the working man's ST, the higher-performance Sport and R/T models, and a new trim called the TRX-4 that's more off-road ready than the others with four-wheel-drive, a suspension upgrade and Goodyear Wrangler SRA All Terrain Tires. Though sales of half-ton pickups in the U.S. are falling fast, the Ram is obviously coming ready to compete in 2009 and the Regular Cab model is just one weapon in Dodge's arsenal.


[Source: Pickuptruck.com]

click image for a gallery of the Rampede staging area

Before this Sunday's "Rampede" at the Detroit Auto Show kicked off, we moseyed over to the staging area and hung out with our friends from the animal kingdom. You've got to love the sight of a longhorn steer... with a monorail in the background. A large crowd lined the fences as the big critters milled around and drew smiles. Of course, an accidental poke from one of those horns would wipe away that smile pretty quickly, so alertness was still called for. It's not that the cattle were aggressive. They were calmer than some domesticated dogs we know. It's just that their heads were well clear of the fencing that lined their route, and as you can see, they're called longhorns for a reason. Fortunately, as you all know by know the show went off without a hitch, and neither Rams nor cattle were harmed in the making of the video we've pasted after the jump.

Click image for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Ram unveiling

Poor Chrysler can't buy a break. On the day of the official unveiling of the 2009 Dodge Ram, the Sunday Freep's front page is dominated by Ford's new F-150, while the Ram is relegated to a small, cropped grille shot in the upper right corner of the front page. Newspaper readers who want to have a gander at Dodge's new pickup need to make tracks to the business section. It's okay, though, because Chrysler's official Ram reveal is pretty much a lock to take page one in tomorrow's paper.

After the assembled media was herded onto temporary bleachers set up outside the COBO Center, Chrysler let loose a herd of its own, and a more traditional one at that. 115 head of cattle and several cowboys accompanied the Ram to its formal unveiling. Presiding over the event were honorary urban cowpokes Jim Press, Bob Nardelli, and Tom LaSorda. All on hand were given the usual enthusiastic rundown of the '09 Ram and its features, during which it was also announced that a hybrid version would be "coming soon." A few laughs were had as a few of the assembled steer got a little too friendly with each other when they arrived at Chrysler's presentation area. Journalists in attendance walked away with some free beef jerky, but we don't think anyone told the cattle about that. Video of the introduction's coming up in a bit. Until then, we've got high-res shots of the '09 Ram's debut in the attached gallery.

All Photos ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.