2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Toy, hauler | 2017 Ram Power Wagon Video Review

When you're bouncing along in a 2017 Ram 2500 Power wagon over the washboard silt roads of the Valley of Fire, just outside of Las Vegas, it's a bit of a shock to realize how comfortable you are. We'd driven a convoy of brand new Ram Power Wagons out from a city improbably emerging from the scrub into a land of red rocks and sand. Inhospitable territory full of thrill-seekers in Jeeps and four-seat ATVs, flinging sand and bouncing their tall signal flags about. The varied terrain, transitioning from hard-packed silt to rocky paths to deep sand at any point, provided the perfect environment to see if the Power Wagon can live up to its billing – check out the video above to see how it handled the gnarly stuff. Back in 1945, the Power Wagon and comfort were not really thought of together. Like the Jeep, these thoroughly mil-spec trucks were heading home from overseas, where they'd served as weapon carriers and utility rigs. The all-business truck was a bit like a heavy-duty Willys Jeep with a bed, and instead of the convertible military cab, Dodge bolted on a pre-war civilian cab. They had more amenities than a tractor (windows! A roof!), but no one would call 'em coddling. The advertising of the day shows them digging ditches, plowing fields, erecting utility poles. You could use the rear power take-off to run a portable sawmill – pure denim and dust work. The brief has clearly evolved a bit – the PTOs disappeared as the truck evolved from a dedicated platform for serious work to more of a heavy-duty trim on Ram's conventional pickups, and then disappeared for a quarter-century until reemerging in 2005. To put it succinctly, the latest 2500 Power Wagon has off-road chops that pass the laugh test, and real working payload and towing capabilities, all in one package. We didn't tow or haul with the Power Wagon on this trip, but we really didn't have to. The Power Wagon is mostly standard 2500 fare: solid axles front and rear, taking power from the familiar truck-spec 6.4-liter Hemi V8. It'll haul up to 1,510 pounds in the bed, and tow up to 10,030 pounds. We know these trucks; they do this kind of work easily and without complaint. What's surprising is how well it does the work without much compromise. As you can see in the video above, the ride's as stiff as on a normal 2500 pickup, maybe a hair stiffer, but plenty tolerable for a long haul on the interstate.

This incredibly '90s Dodge Ram video shows roots of the luxury pickup truck

To paraphrase the Talking Heads, you may find yourself behind the wheel of a Ram 1500 Limited with a 12-inch touchscreen and sumptuous leather, and you may ask yourself, "How did we get here?" Well, some of that credit goes to that loaded Ram's predecessor, the second-generation Dodge Ram. As you'll see in this fascinating promotional video for the truck uploaded by YouTube Channel TheClassicSports, it seems to highlight all the things that make up the modern pickup truck, albeit in a slightly more modest form. Right off the bat, the video starts talking about how the new Ram isn't your traditional pickup. It has features like anti-lock brakes, a spacious, comfortable cabin and standard driver-side airbag. Later, it notes the extensive sound insulation, as well as the cupholders and a giant center console to set up your mobile office, with space for a cell phone and laptop.  But it's not just a comfortable truck. It's a powerful, practical and intimidating one. This Ram is frequently credited as the truck that changed pickup design, moving from simple rectangular boxes to ones with style, particularly semi-truck style. In the video, the host notes that regardless of what people think, "They all call it 'big'." And of course, there's the all-important utility aspect. Highlights include various interior storage bins, slots in the bed to create divided sections, and the critical towing and payload capacities; best-in-class of course. Don't forget the wide array of engines, too, from the base V6 to the unique at the time gas V10 engine. This isn't to say that competitors from Chevy and Ford weren't changing to this more stylish, more well-appointed truck philosophy, either. The mid-'90s Silverado was quite modern, too, with its sleek, if still boxy shape. And the late-'90s F-150 ushered in a sleek, curvy design that has yet to return to the full-size market. But the second-generation Ram really encompasses everything about how the truck market was about to change for the next few decades. Related Video:

2023 Ram 1500's Built to Serve EMS edition honors medics

Ram's latest iteration of its Built to Serve line of Ram 1500 pickups is out, and this time the truck maker honors emergency medical services personnel, the folks who bring lifesaving aid to your door. As we've emerged from a pandemic and are settling into an endemic, the choice to honor EMTs and other emergency field workers seems a natural one. It's a group of folks who have a critical role in society, especially in the past couple of years. “The Ram 1500 ‘Built to ServeÂ’ EMS edition is our way of honoring and expressing deep gratitude to the frontline heroes who serve or have served our country,” said Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. “At Ram, we are pleased to recognize the important work emergency medical service workers provide to their communities every day.” The EMS edition comes in two colors, the Hydro Blue that you see here, and Bright White. The interior is black, with "performance" cloth and vinyl seats that have blue accent stitching. You'll also know it, along with others in the Built to Serve line, by the American flag and Built to Serve branding on the quarter-panel. It has a black grille and dark accents that include the side steps and exhaust tips, 20-inch gray aluminum wheels, and it's equipped with 4x4 Off-Road Equipment Group content so you can go wherever you're needed: all-terrain tires, skid plates, locking rear axle and hill-descent control. Inside, it shares features from the other Built to Serve trucks: the Velcro upholstery panels that allow you to adhere department or unit patches, along with the PALS/MOLLE webbing on the front seat backs for organizing gear. And of course there's badging inside the truck as well as outside. So far, there have been Built to Serve editions to honor the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Firefighters. (But nothing for Space Force?) A second round of trucks is meant to honor first responders: firefighters, police and now EMS workers. Built to Serve packages are based on Big Horn/Lone Star Crew Cab models. You've got a choice of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 or 5.7-liter eTorque and non-eTorque V-8. The Built to Serve EMS starts at $56,810, which includes the $1,895 destination charge. It's on sale now, with builds starting soon. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the most intense off-road truck ever built