2009 Dodge Ram

drfill

List of Needs:

1. 6-speed Auto
2. Rampage Stling (Not Nitro), or is it "Notro"?
3. 4.0 V6, 275HP
4. 400Hp 6.1 Hemi
5. Small Cummins Diesel
6. 10k towing, with better frame.

Feel free to compare to the 2009 Ford F-150! They need similar stats to compete.

DrFill

drfill

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/future/dodge/09ram0120070203.html

Here's hoping it knocks off the Rampage style! I'm sold on that.

DrFill

dustyk

Well, first, there's avbsolutely nothing wrong with the current RAM frame. The frame itself is good past 12,000.

A six-speed automatic based on the current 545RFE will probably be available later in 2007. Dodge has been field testing it for over four years.

I'm not sure I see any sense to a 275 HP V-6. Dodge will make available a 290 HP 4.7 V-8 in 2008. A larger Hemi appears to be in the offering for the RAM, but rumor is that it won't be a 6.1. It will likely be at or near 400 HP.

I would add, however, that by the time the 2009s are here the horsepower race may be coming to a close and the various manufacturers may wish they had LESS horsepower in their stables.

Regards,
Dusty

drfill

But allpar.com says the 4.0 in the Nitro will be the base engine, and stepped-up to 270-275HP.

250-280 will probably be the cost of entry into this class, as Toyota has a 270HPV6, and Ford has built the 3.5. Nissan should put the legendary VQ 3.5 into the nest Titan.

Manufacturers will need to compete with the 5.3 in the Chevy, at 315HP, as the top core engine.

Dodge might continue with the 5.7 Hemi as well, as their core engine, and the 6.1 as the top.

HP sells, and the benchmarks have been set.

DrFill

KCRam

Have to agree about the HP... and Dodge is using a little sleight-of-hand with the current 1500 for that reason. The Hemi is now a free upgrade from the 4.7L OHC V8 in Ram 1500s. One might think, "that's not smart, the 4.7 is more efficient." Or is it? Thanks to MDS, the Hemi actually has higher EPA ratings - thus it's to Chrysler's benefit to have more people buy the Hemi - it improves their CAFE results.

So, if the 4.0 V6 can generate enough grunt to be a reasonable base engine, they can offer the Hemi for the "wanna go fast" crowd, and the new Cummins for the "I need to work" crowd. Makes ordering and production simple... how to you tell a GM customer to choose from the 4.3 V6, the 4.8 V8, three different 5.3s, the 6.0, and the 6.2?

kcram - Pickups Host

rockylee

Any Spy Pics guys ? I gotta see this one to see if it will be a hit or miss. Hell it has to be better than the new Tundra. I just hope GM, gets to unveil this new truck instead of letting the Chinese do it. I really would like to have dodge added to my GM stable and might even consider buying one then.

Rocky

dustyk

In the previous posts I thought we were talking about LD pickups. The Nitro is built on the Liberty platform, is it not?

At what point is there enough, or a better question, too much horsepower. The critters in Congress are starting to look at all of the LD truck manufacturers with some disdain as they feel that they are responsible for our energy crisis. Now you and I know that's not true, but you also know that the specter of the "big" SUV and truck has drawn negative attention.

Look at what's happened to the LD pick-up segment in the past twenty-years. Yes, a lot more horsepower, better appointments, more refinement, luxury, and...higher prices and worse fuel consumption. There's such a concentration on 0-60 times that with each year it seems someone has to out-do the other.

We have a mixture of engines in our current Ford and Dodge fleets and you know, a six-cylinder F150 will do the same work for us as one with a 4.6. Yes, I know the bigger engine raises the GVW rating and towing, but for the vast majority of our trucks the sixes do fine.

There's a local roofing company around here that has an aging fleet of six-cylinder RAMs. I've seen these things loaded so much that I'm sure the frame snubbers were resting on the top of the rear axle. I know this fellow and he claims that his total vehicle operating costs were reduced when he went to smaller engine trucks. And they do the job. Yep, they take a little longer to get there, but they get there.

LD pick-ups are the current fancy of many American drivers who will never tax their vehicles full capabilities. I'm not criticizing choice here, I'm all for it. But for fleet buyers try to buy a bare bones work truck nowadays, or...try to buy one under $30k.

Best regards,
Dusty

KCRam

Agreed, and I think the new Ram 1500 with the light-duty Cummins will help immensely. You'll get power/torque, much better fuel economy, and thanks to the 2010 diesel regs, probably cleaner exhaust than the gasoline engines.

dustyk

Yes, and i think it's clear how serious Dodge has been in the last few years in the LD segment. But, you know there will still be those 0-60 folks!

I'm looking forward to seeing the new 1500 diesel. While Ford and GM are trying to out do each other (and Nissan, Toyota) in price and features, people forget that there's still a serious commercial truck market out there. I'm being told that since the introduction of the new Dodge commercial upfitted chassis, the orders have been brisk and the Chevy and Ford chassis cabs are pretty stagnant.

How many miles do you have on your Cummins?

Best regards,
Dusty

gdog6

will the new Ram coming out next year be a threat for the tundra. What do you think.

dustyk

Hard to say. The RAM will get two engine upgrades, a new transmission, Variable Line Pressure in their other transmissions, a beefier frame, and supposedly a "significant" upgrade to the interior. I don't know if Chrysler's new axle plant will be contributing to the 2008 RAM, but if it does the new designs are estimated to reduce friction losses by 20%.

The Tundra will have a following just because it says Toyota on it and will likely continue to pick up former disgruntled Chevy, Dodge, Ford and Nissan owners. Some buyers will be attracted to the Tundra because they need to drive a truck that currently claims the best spec's, or is faster.

The Tundra still has to prove itself and that may take a while. There are many who have noticed that despite the Titan's attributes, the big Nissan truck has not really done so well in reliability and overall customer satisfaction (gas mileage, for example).

Toyota doesn't have nearly the same level of negative association that Nissan does, so in my opinion the Tundra won't suffer in the perception department. That being said, Toyota is beginning to show signs of over confidence and maybe a touch of GM-like arrogance. Hope it doesn't happen because most Toyota products are very good, if not pricey.

Regards,
Dusty

gdog6

ibcb

Yes there are pics. Go to www.allpar.com tp check it out. I love it. It looks meaner, leaner and more aerodynamic.

mikeyb2

I have to say, as someone who loves the F-150, I was impressed when I saw the Ram at the Auto Show. The 3 cab sizes, the 3 engines and now with a capability for cleaner burning fuel, all make it a good competitor. I also felt the front grill really added to the muscleness of the car. You can get a sneak peek of it here:
http://www.expotv.com/videos/expo/203/207/Auto-Show-2009-Dodge-Ram/257752

kgabe

Will the 09' series present a regular cab with the sports appearance package?

terminator82

THE DODGE RAM is nice but i saw a red one in tesco carpark we went in the same direction as it went round a round a bout it was like on two wheels it was so bad the suspsion was all over the place i mean yes it is a truck but trucks are not meant to do that are they
TERMINATOR82

zone4

Does anyone know why the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 doesn't have a red line at the end of the tachtometer like most vehicles do?

Spinner

What a truck.

Jim's Dodge World

morganv

our 2009 Ram 1500 just turned 14,000 after 9 months. around town i'm averaging 16-17 with some weeks getting in the high 17s. weve taken it on several road trips and averaged 22.4 on the last trip of 635 miles. thats driving between 65-75 mph by the way. on one trip pulling a single horse trailer i got 19.2 on country roads. this 2009 is one sweet truck. no problems at all and everything seems to be put together with real quality. so far its been quieter and smoother than any other truck weve been in. it rides better than any of our ford or lincoln cars and handles better too. if we didn't need a one ton truck on the farm wed buy another 1500!!!