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2001 Detroit Show: Trucks and Stuff
The North American Truck of the Year is typical of today's truck - better at handling than hauling... Read More
2001 Detroit Show: Trucks and Stuff
The North American Truck of the Year is typical of today's truck - better at handling than hauling... Read More
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Rest of the Web Says We've gathered reviews from Edmunds.com, Cars.com plus live Tweets on this car. See What We Found »
subscribeSANTA BARBARA, Calif.
— Bigger,
stronger and more luxurious. No, we aren't talking about high-end SUVs or the
new German sedan lineup or even Anna Nicole Smith’s next rehab suite. We're
talking about Dodge's new heavy-duty trucks, a redesigned stable of workhorses
with two new engine offerings and, for the first time on a Ram, a single rear
wheel option.
The redesign of the 2500 and 3500, Dodge's two heavy-duty models, comes at the right time. Since 1996, the heavy-duty pickup market has grown 34 percent, with the Rams now taking a 31 percent share of the segment, as well as a third of all Ram sales. This upward trend in heavy-duty purchases could give this DaimlerChrysler division a much-needed boost.
forumAt the same time, buyers are increasingly looking to powerful, more
fuel-efficient diesel motors: purchases of heavy-duty pickups with a diesel
motor have increased to 21 percent from 2 percent in recent years. Accordingly,
the 2003 Ram lineup includes an all-new High-Output Cummins turbodiesel motor,
with increased horsepower that makes it the most powerful of its type in its
segment, delivering 305 hp and 555 lb-ft of torque. 
The big news in this new flock, however, is the return of the Chrysler Group's legendary HEMI motor. First introduced in 1953, the V-8 HEMI motor out-accelerated and out-towed the competition. In its current iteration, a 5.7-liter V-8 called the HEMI Magnum, this powerplant delivers 345 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque. Like its predecessor, it also beats competitors off the line and delivers more horsepower than similar V-8 gasoline engines.
First look
I drove a number of the new models recently at a press introduction in southern California. What was notable on first impression was the length of the lineup--there are many models to choose from-- and the big and brawny sheetmetal was eye-candy for a truck-loving automotive journalist.
