"That thing got a Hemi?" You bet it does. The Ram's 2002 introduction was the very mark of the Hemi's return. We've got your Hemi right here.
"But what's all the fuss? Having been extinct for 30 years, how many people actually know what a Hemi is? Why the excitement of seeing it dropped into a vehicle that almost discourages driving? And is this a good time to mention that the combustion chambers on this new "Hemi" aren't even hemispherically-shaped?
No matter. The last Ram charged its way into the spotlight on the basis of its bold styling, and now it has the muscle to back up the look. As with the Silverado, "1500" denotes the most popular, light-duty lineup. "Hemi" refers to the 345-horsepower 5.7 that tops the Ram lineup; a 4.7 V8 and a 3.7 V6 complete it. A diesel is available on three-quarter-ton Ram 2500 and one-ton 3500, and the SRT-10 gets its V10 from the Dodge Viper. The V8s get a 5-speed automatic; the V6 gets stuck with a lowly 4-speed. You get two bed lengths - 6.3 or 8 feet - and two cab sizes - none or "Quad" (crew). Mix and match for a total of four combinations - clean, simple, and effective. Thanks, Dodge.
ST, SLT, and Laramie are the trim lines. On SLT, cloth replaces vinyl and adds cruise control, power windows/locks/mirrors, keyless entry, CD player, trip computer, and carpeting. Laramie adds leather seating, power seat, Homelink transmitter system, 11-speaker sound system with CD changer, keyless entry, antilock brakes, and alloy wheels. $22,125 buys a no-cab, short-box Ram with a V6 and goes all the way up to $34,755 for a 4WD Laramie V8 Quad Cab long bed.
Among the various 1500 Rams, payload goes from 1,440 to 1,850. Towing spans from a not-so-hot 3,300 up to a substantial 9,200. Strangely, both numbers apply to the exact same model - a regular cab, short-bed ST - decked out with different engines and equipment. The latter number is what Dodge calls "when properly equipped." The Ram 2500 can take payload and towing up to 2,770 and 13,600; a 3500 model winds those figures up to 4,790 and 16,300 - all thanks to those tugboat 5.9-liter diesel engines. Yes, a Ram 3500 could tow four Tundras simultaneously, each with a driver on board.
If you want a ton of power dedicated to more conventional uses, there's the $45,850 SRT-10; a Quad Cab version is now available for $5,000 more. This is the truck that thinks it's a Viper. Sharing the 8.3-liter V10 lifted from the Viper, its 500 horsepower makes short work out of Chevy's 345, just as its 525 pounds-feet of torque dwarf Chevy's 380 pounds-feet.
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