Two bed lengths are available: a 6-foot, 3-inch short bed and an 8-foot long bed. Ordering the long bed adds 20 inches to the wheelbase. And a Quad Cab wheelbase is 20 inches longer than a Regular Cab. So a Quad Cab long bed has 40 more inches of wheelbase than a Regular Cab short bed. Long-bed Rams also get a bigger fuel tank, 35 gallons in place of the standard 26.

Regular Cabs start at $20,800 with rear-wheel drive (2WD), $25,055 with four-wheel drive (4WD). Quad Cabs, which ride on a wheelbase 20 inches longer than comparable Regular Cab models, start at $24,870 with 2WD, $29,005 with 4WD.

Several engines are offered: The most economical choice, one that can actually break 20 mpg on the highway, is the 3.7-liter overhead-cam V6, rated 215 horsepower. It's the base engine in 2WD Regular Cabs and 2WD Quad Cabs with the short box. The available 4.7-liter V8 uses modern overhead-cam heads to generate 235 horsepower. The popular 5.7-liter Hemi produces 345 horsepower. At the top end of the scale is the 8.3-liter pushrod V10 in the SRT-10, rated 500 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment with the 3.7-liter V6 and 4.7-liter V8. A four-speed automatic is optional with the V6. A five-speed automatic is optional with the 4.7-liter V8 and standard with the Hemi. The SRT-10 Regular Cab comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox; the SRT-10 Quad Cab comes only with a four-speed automatic.

ST is the base trim level. It comes standard with air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, rear-wheel ABS, 17-inch steel wheels and a full-size spare tire. Upholstery is vinyl, and the windows wind up manually. Options include a bed liner, trailer tow mirrors, speed control, four-wheel ABS, 17-inch chrome-clad steel wheels, and a power sliding rear window for the Quad Cab.

SLT comes standard with the 4.7-liter V8, and adds power windows and door locks, keyless entry, an overhead console with mini-trip computer and compass, speed control, and 17-inch aluminum wheels. Options expand to include a power sunroof, power adjustable pedals, six-disc CD changer and Infinity speaker system, navigation system, Sirius Satellite Radio, UConnect Bluetooth hands-free wireless communication, bucket seats with leather upholstery, six-way power driver seat and 20-inch aluminum wheels.

Sport, which was an option package last year, has been promoted to a trim level for '06. It comes with the Hemi engine and five-speed automatic transmission, unique bucket seats, body-color fascia and grille, fog lamps, and 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels. Sport adds $7,256-$8,410 to price of an ST. Options are the same as for the SLT, but the long bed is not available.

Laramie is the luxury level, with dual-zone climate control, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, four-wheel ABS, security alarm, and Sentry Key engine immobilizer. Leather seats are standard, with a split 40/20/40 bench up front and power adjustment for the driver. Laramie retails for $6,600-$7,800 more than the base (ST) trim level, and offers a nice selection of luxury options.

SRT-10 is its own trim level, available in both regular cab ($47,605) and Quad Cab ($51,810) models. In addition to its go-fast equipment, SRT-10 also comes with most Laramie-level luxuries, plus heated sport bucket seats up front and a lot of unique, performance-oriented trim inside and out.

The TRX4 Off-Road package ($1,250) comes with unique 17-inch aluminum wheels on LT275/70R17 off-road tires, 3.92 rear axle, limited-slip differential, skid plates for the transfer case and front suspension, special red-painted shocks, tow hooks, fog lamps, and a heavy-duty cooling system. Dodge offers the full package only with SLT trim and 4WD; however, more limited TRX4 and TRX packages are available for other models.

A Trailer Tow Group includes a Class IV hitch receiver, seven-circuit wiring harness, 750-amp battery, heavy-duty engine cooling and auxiliary transmission oil cooler when equipped with automatic transmission. There's also a Work Special package designed for affordability with gray bumpers, grille, and 17x7 steel wheels.