2010 Dodge Ram: Continuing the Tradition

By Mike Blake, Carlisle Events

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Dodge is rebranding itself, remarketing itself and re-sloganing itself, but one of the things that has remained strong in its arsenal since 1994 is the Dodge Ram.
Dodge began selling trucks in 1917, and for the past 16 years, the Ram has been its light-duty poster truck. The Ram continues to define itself as a truck leader in 2010-2011.

While Chrysler recently announced that it will begin featuring a new logo for Dodge -- a pair of red racing stripes relative to the "E," in Dodge, to suggest speed and agility -- that logo apparently will not appear on Dodge or Ram products and will be used only in communications, advertising, internet and merchandising. That means that the traditional Ram image that has emblazoned Dodge vehicles since Avard T. Fairbanks, designer of the “Flying Lady” icon for Plymouth in 1929, presented a Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep logo to Dodge owner Walter P. Chrysler, some 80 years ago, will continue to be the on-vehicle badge for Ram.

While Ram has been kicking up its heels for 16 years, it has been an embodiment of the line’s work-hard, play-hard attitude, in the form of bold, powerful and capable pick-ups.

The lynchpin in the Ram line-up has become the 1500. Introduced in 2008, the Ram 1500 is tough, forceful, innovative, attractive and refined. Named Motor Trend's Truck of the Year and a 2010 Top 10 Road Trip Vehicle by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, the Ram 1500 exhibits strength, utility and drivability and ranks at the top of Strategic Vision Inc.’s Total Quality Index™ in the full-size truck segment. According to the survey, the Ram 1500 leads the way with the highest Total Quality score of any truck in the 15-year history of the study. Customers specifically noted that the Ram has the best added storage capability along with the best truck interior ever rated by customers.

Designed with athletic good looks, a brawny demeanor and and air of ruggedness, Ram 1500 is built on a ladder-type frame, with a steel cab and a double-walled steel pick-up box. My test truck, a Ram 1500 Crew Cab, measured out at 229 inches in length, 79.4 inches in width and 75.7 inches in height on a 140.5-inch wheelbase, with a 5-ft.-7-inch box.

Dodge has gained a solid reputation for its muscle and my test Ram was equipped with big-time power rumbling from its 5.7-liter 16-valve V-8 HEMI engine that thrusted out 390hp and a tree-stump pulling 407 lb-ft of torque in a 345ci house. The 2WD version is EPA rated at 14/20 and the 4WD working truck comes in at 13/18. A week of testing over a variety of courses and uses delivered an average of 15.4mpg.

The Ram potency was apparent on in traffic and on the interstate, and it showed itself as well on the track, where despite initial hesitation, completed a zero to 60mph run of 7.6 seconds and a 1760-yard sprint of 15.8 seconds.

Ram produces an impressive driving and riding experience for driver and passenger, with steadiness and balance, though steering was a bit obtuse. The ride was smooth on even and uneven surfaces, thanks to well-thought-out upper and lower A-arms, coil-over twin-tube shocks with a stabilizer bar up front and a 5-link rear suspension with track bar, coil springs, stabilizer bar, twin-tube shocks and solid axle.

Interior accommodations provide spacious seating capacity for 5 or 6 people with head room of 41 inches, leg room of 41 inches and shoulder room of 66 inches.

Inside, Dodge provides a media center with radio, CD and MP3, climate control, iPod® control with glove-box connection, auto-dimming rearview and exterior mirrors, sun visors with illuminated vanity mirror, 10-way power driver seat, power lumbar adjust, leather-wrapped steering wheel and manual fold-away power heated mirrors.

More than 35 safety and security features are installed including: advanced multi-stage air bags; anti-lock brake system; electronic stability control; Parksense® rear-park assist system; Parkview rear back-up camera; safety cage body structure; side-guard door beams; supplemental side-curtain air bags; trailer-sway control system and premium tire pressure monitoring system.

The 2010 Ram 1500 4x2 is base priced at $20,610 with destination charges of $900. My 4x4 Crew Cab was base priced at $31,730, and its SLT trim brought that to $24,240. Among standard items in the SLT were a Flame Red clearcoat mated to a Dark Slate/Medium Graystone interior (cloth seats). The SLT also comes standard with a 4.7-liter V-8 engine. My 5.7-liter HEMI added $1310 to the final cost. Other standard items included a 505-watt Alpine Surround Sound system with 9 speakers and subwoofer. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard and can be upgraded and Premium cloth seats added $900. The Technology Group added $495 and the Luxury Group option also added $900.

The 2010 Dodge Ram continues the tradition emblazoned by the Big Horn sheep logo.


Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

# # #

Journalist note: Information about the Carlisle Events Group, its event listings, auction offerings and expo center is available to journalists by phone:


Patrick Lemay
Company Communications Specialist
717-243-7855 ext. 116
patrick@carlisleevents.com

# # #