While suburban Chicagoans rarely gravitate towards full-size, heavy duty pickup as primary transport, these three-quarter-ton and one-ton workhorses remain an important ingredient for the Big Three domestic automakers. Pickups are the top-selling vehicles at Chrysler, Ford and GM and brand loyalty is generations strong. Chrysler is taking extra steps to revamp and market it's versatile stable.
Earlier this summer, Chrysler Group LLC paid off its $7.6 billion loan to American and Canadian governments, closing yet another whirlwind chapter in the company's bumpy, Phoenix-like history. Quite frankly, Chrysler has more lives than Lombard's famous feline spokes critter, Morris the Nine Lives Cat. A disastrous two-year, money-draining stint with Cerberus Private Equity Firm and a near decade-long 'marriage of unequals' with German automaker Daimler-Benz left the company clawing for survival. Italian automaker Fiat now holds a majority stake in the Chrysler Group after a long, arduous government-aided bankruptcy begun in 2009. It marked the second time Chrysler exited from a U.S. guided bankruptcy (the first shepherded by Chrysler's larger-than-life Top Cat and CEO, Lee Iacocca in 1979). Fortunately, Ram pickups survived the cat-and-mouse game of management roulette relatively in tact with well-deserved and needed investments throughout the turmoil. Now, Chrysler has something to purr about.
In late 2009, Dodge spun off truck holding into its own division: Ram. The Chrysler Group once again markets four model lines: Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram. This fine tuning allows Dodge to focus its efforts strictly on sporty uni-body car platforms while providing Ram with a rough-and-tumble truck identity and commercial truck leverage. The Ram name already existed within Dodge as the designation of popular full-size light and heavy duty pickup trucks, giving way to interesting sir names (the Ram Ram and Ram Dakota, the sole models in 2011). This is an ongoing, work-in-progress as the "Dodge" brand name still resided high atop the center console of our Ram test truck. Only 10 short years ago, Chrysler bid farewell its once vaulted Plymouth division (1928-2001) which at the end found itself running near empty, offering a scant few vehicles (compact Neon, Voyager minivan and still-cool Prowler).
Ram continues as the best-selling vehicle the Chrysler Group sells, although numbers fall behind Ford's full-size F-150 pickup and Chevrolet's Silverado.
While updates in 2011 are minimal for heavy-duty Ram 2500 models, a new eye-opening luxury package is now available. The Laramie Longhorn special edition is for those desiring a tough-looking exterior, with inside pampering. Ram light-duty 1500 models underwent an extensive redo in the 2009 model year with heavy-duty 2500 varieties catching up in 2010 with their own additions.
The 2011 Laramie Longhorn edition is available in light-duty half ton (1500), heavy-duty three-quarter ton (2500) and heavy-duty one ton (3500) and went on sale earlier this calendar year. Amendments include dual-tone interiors, real wood grain trim with leather front and rear heated seats. Buckle-like, Western-style Saddlebag map-pocket flaps on the backside of the bucket seats greet back seat riders. In actuality, a magnet device keeps flaps closed. Ram Longhorn badging is found inside and out.
As with other domestic heavy-duty pickups, mix and match possibilities abound. Ram 2500 trim levels include Base ST, SLT, Outdoorsman, Power Wagon and top-of-the-line Laramie. Three cab styles include regular, crew and Mega Cab with four standard-sized rear doors. Rear-drive 4 x 2 or four-wheel 4 x 4 is offered. All mega cabs come with standard six-feet, four-inch short bed.
Our heavy duty, diesel powered Ram 2500 Longhorn Mega Cab 4 x 4 included a base price of $48,590. Optional equipment in the three-quarter-ton pickup included a preferred package with six-speed automatic ($405), in-line, six-cylinder 6.7-liter Cummings Turbo diesel ($7,615), limited slip differential rear axle ($325), sunroof ($850), and rear-seat video system ($1,695) for a $60,585 bottom line including $975 destination charge.
Our optional turbo diesel replaces a standard 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 (383 horsepower, 400 lbs.-ft. of torque). The Cummings Diesel remains the powertrain of choice in Ram heavy duty pickups, accounting for 85 percent of sales. The 6.7-liter version was introduced in 2007, cranking out 350 horses and an eye-opening 650 lbs.-ft. of low-end torque grunt. Expect approximately 14 miles per gallon in combined driving. Diesel prices during the week of testing were equivalent to premium unleaded listings, a couple pennies below $4 per gallon. The super-sized tank holds 34 gallons. This turbo diesel engine meets 50-state emissions, and is one of the cleanest available. For those equating sulfur-smells with diesel fuel, this is a whole new era of clean.
So large and cozy, this work truck can double as a vacation retreat. An electronic dashboard dial allows Ram to transfer from rear-drive to four-wheel high and low. No push button start as this Ram incorporates an electronic fob that slips into dashboard port. More illumination would help docking at night. A-frame grab handles make the hike into front bucket seats easier along with static side running boards. Some large, body-on-frame luxury SUVs and trucks have opted for power boards, folding down when doors open, to aid the cause.
The large, leather-wrapped, tri-spoke steering wheel features Chrysler's finger-tip operation behind the wheel changing audio presets and volume. An appendage jetting out at five O'clock operates cruise control. The glove box, times two, includes independent top and bottom drawers. The deep storage bin between the front buckets may be the best option for larger items, including lap tops. Soft-touch materials with light stitching adorn the dash. Plenty of storage and 12-volt plug-in ports for portable electronics are available. While the parking brake is foot operated, the transmission selector is on the power-tilt (no telescope) steering column's right side. Two dials monitor fan speed and direction. Push buttons operate temperature.
Back seats easily accommodate three riders, no matter what their size with more than ample head and leg room. Seat backs fold forward with a 60/40 split, including a fold down arm rest. With seats folded, a long narrow, under floor storage area is accessible.
The rear-seat entertainment system includes a one-year subscription to three Sirius satellite TV channels targeted towards younger viewers (Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network). Ram is the first pickup truck offering this option, introduced in 2008-model-year Dodge and Chrysler minivans. A fold-down ceiling LCD screen, along with headphones, plug-in jacks and power outlets, allows back seat tweens and teens unlimited hours of viewing pleasure. For the foreseeable short term, these three channels are the sole offerings.
Ram's large, truck-like mirrors, with secondary blinkers, include vertical blind spot concaves allowing drivers the needed ability to peer along, side region. Ram utilizes a huge, in-your-face, four-part grille with center Ram's head for a well identifiable grille. Interior B-pillar handles easing the step up into the spacious rear entertainment cave. The Laramie Longhorn features a two-tone exterior with a lighter trim color along the bottom and over the wheel wells.
Old-school rear leaf springs provide a bouncy ride, but the flip side is this work horse can tow 8,800 pounds. Ram's Limited powertrain warranty coverage is for five years or 100,000-miles.
2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn Mega Cab
Price as tested: $60,585
Wheelbase: 160.5 inches
Overall length: 248.4 inches
Overall Width: 76.3 inches
Horsepower: 350
Torque: 650 lbs.-ft.
Engine: Inline, six, cylinder 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel
Ground clearance: 7.8 inches
Built: Mexico
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