2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab SLT 4x4 [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, First Drives, Ram

Putting The Pentastar To Work

It's been over five months since we first heard word that Chrysler was planning to grace the Ram 1500 with the company's do-all Pentastar 3.6-liter V6. At 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, the new-generation six-cylinder handily embarrasses the antiquated 3.7-liter Magnum lump found in the base 2012 model in both power and efficiency. As fuel prices have continued to inch upward, that latter category has evolved into a more critical piece of the capability puzzle for both private and fleet buyers.

Paired with a new ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2013 Ram 1500 two-wheel drive should return 20-percent better fuel economy than its predecessor. That, sirs, is a huge number. More importantly, the addition of the Pentastar to the Ram line means buyers may now opt for a four-wheel-drive truck with a V6 under the hood - something that wasn't possible with the old 3.7. But as interesting as the drivetrain is, it's a small part of Ram's plan to carve out a larger chunk of pickup sales for itself. Engineers and designers have loaded the 2013 Ram 1500 with more available technology than ever before, as well as the first available self-leveling air suspension in the half-ton class. The result is nothing short of impressive.

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2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab SLT 4x4 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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