The Ram 1500 light-duty pickup truck emphasizes aerodynamic styling with a unique grille-forward design; ride comfort with a segment-exclusive coil-spring rear suspension; and storage innovation with the RamBox. Ram also addresses the basics with power in the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 and an excellent interior. Certain versions seat up to six people, and the Ram 1500 competes against the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra.
The Ram 1500 Tradesman HD is a new heavy-duty version of the regular Ram 1500 Tradesman. This truck is aimed at small-business owners, construction contractors and fleet operators. Offered only in two-wheel-drive regular cab form with a long bed, the 1500 Tradesman HD comes with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 and a six-speed automatic transmission. Payload capacity is 3,100 pounds, and the 1500 Tradesman HD can tow up to 11,500 pounds when properly equipped.
In addition, the Ram 1500 Express trim is now available as a Quad Cab or crew-cab truck.
The Ram 1500 lineup gains a high-end Laramie Limited trim for 2012, too. The truck features full-leather seating, piano-black interior trim, 20-inch aluminum wheels and berber-carpeted floormats.
The Ram 1500 is offered as a regular cab, Quad Cab or crew cab. Two unique features are the optional lockable RamBox storage boxes and the truck’s standard coil-spring rear suspension. Exterior features include:
- Aluminum power-bulge hood
- Standard 17-inch wheels; 20- or 22-inch wheels optional
- Available dual chrome-tipped exhaust integrated into rear bumper
- Available adjustable cargo-rail tie-down system
- Available spray-in bedliner
- Available pickup-bed divider and 2-foot bed extender
- Available skid-plate package
- Available Class IV trailer-hitch receiver
The Ram 1500’s interior will appeal to traditional owners, but it also offers many amenities — including premium seating with soft-touch materials and a console-mounted shifter — that will entice cosmopolitan buyers, too. Stylish contrasting-color seat stitching comes on Sport and Laramie trims, and the crew cab features in-floor storage bins.
One of the Ram 1500’s more luxurious trim levels is the Laramie Longhorn. It receives full leather seating with laser-etched bolsters, and the front seatbacks have silver steer-logoed metal buckles with magnetic clasps, like a mailbag. An exclusive instrument cluster has the appearance of hand-wrought jewelry with six chrome gauge rings set against a painted taupe silver background and a tooled-metal Laramie Longhorn edition badge. The Laramie Longhorn is equipped with all of the standard equipment found on the Ram Laramie plus navigation radio, remote start, backup camera, front ventilated seats and rear heated seats. Interior features include:
- Rear seat heating available in Quad Cab, crew cab
- Available heated and ventilated front seats
- Available power-adjustable pedals
- Available surround-sound system
- Available dual-zone automatic climate control
- Available rear-seat entertainment system
Several minor features help the Ram’s fuel economy. The front chin spoiler’s length is designed to improve aerodynamics, and the fuel system automatically stops sending gasoline to the engine when the truck decelerates. Models with the standard 3.7-liter V-6 have a fuel-saver light that lets the driver know when the truck is being driven efficiently.
A new six-speed automatic transmission, which replaces last year’s five-speed automatic, is available. Mechanical features include:
- 215-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6, iron block/aluminum cylinder heads, single overhead camshaft, two valves per cylinder, 235 pounds-feet of torque
- 310-hp, 4.7-liter V-8, iron block/aluminum cylinder heads, single overhead camshaft, two valves per cylinder, 330 pounds-feet of torque
- 383- or 390-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, iron block/aluminum cylinder heads, cam-in-block, two valves per cylinder, 400 or 407 pounds-feet of torque
- Four-speed automatic (standard with 3.7-liter)
- Six-speed automatic (standard with 4.7-liter, 5.7-liter)
Safety features include:
- Standard all-disc antilock brakes
- Standard electronic stability system with hill start assist and trailer-sway control
- Standard side curtain airbags
- Standard brake assist applies maximum braking power in panic situations
- Available rear park assist
- Available backup camera
