The Detroit News' Scott Burgess has released specs on Dodge's new 2009 Ram Pickup. For the first time, The Dodge Boys are offering a functional crew cab, rather than micro-sized rear doors or the enormous (and laughably expensive) Mega Cab. I'm sure Goldilocks would be thrilled. The interior is also revised, with more plastiwood and a bigger attempt to knock-off the F-150's design. And of course, there's more power. Because that's what all buyers want. The Hemi is now up to 380 horses (from about 345) and torque is now 404 lb ft. Efficiency is supposedly improved, and Allpar reports that highway mileage on smaller 2WD models will "approach" 23 mpg. Other stats: weight is down 80 lbs, 0 – 60 takes 7 seconds, and Dodge's Ram sales are down the toilet and in the cesspool. Ram sales are down 24 percent, Ram market share is down to 16.2 percent. I know improving the efficiency of the Hemi is a good thing, and the cost is nothing close to developing an all new vehicle. But you know what? The market is still screaming for a compact pickup truck. Just sayin'.
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
Holy crap! Weight is actually down by 80lbs???
That’s gotta be a typo. When was the last time a full-sized pickup, or any automobile has actually lost mass with a redesign?
@Blunozer:
European Mazda2. But that’s a tuna can car.
The market is still screaming for a compact pickup truck. Just sayin’
Justin:
You nailed it with the last line. As far as I know, Chevrolet is letting the Colorado fade away (no updates, redesigns, etc.) and Ford has no plans to do anything to the Ranger. Add to that the lack of updates to the Dakota and even the Ridgeline and it seems that the manufacturers are missing a HUGE opportunity here. People will still want to drive trucks, even if they are smaller ones
It looks good, the suspension is a marvel, the interior is a huge improvement, maybe the best Chrysler interior in 5 years. And if they get a legit 23 MPG from the EPA, that needs to figure PROMINENTLY in their advertising.
This vehicle needs to be a homerun and by the looks of it, Chrysler gave it their best shot. Time will tell.
If they’re banking on a full-size truck to be a homerun and help turn around ChryCo…that shows me they are still in a dismal position in this market.
What Texn said, plus if they think the market will forget how badly made the last few crops were they are SADLY mistaken.
The big picture issue with this truck (and many others,just like it) is that the business model for North American pickups anticipates – demands actually – is that they be used as daily drivers; shuttling us off to work to our offices, factories, schools – not the construction site, the farm, etc, etc.
When you realize that the vast majority of pickup truck sales are ‘lifestyle’ purchases and not actual work requirements you can start to get a feeling for just how much this market segment is going to crater before things stabilize.
While the changes discussed above are all good and well, it does not change the fact the pool of people that can commute in a 4X4 Hemi truck every day is a fraction of what it used to be 1 – 2 years ago.
Who on God’s green earth needs to go 0-60 in 7 seconds in FREAKIN’ PICKUP?!
“By the time that bull tosses you, I’ll be up to highway speed!”
Meanwhile, I’ll add my own voice to the compact pickup clamor. I’ll take mine in a 2.2L turbodiesel, please.
I wonder what the mileage figures will be when they have the smaller Cummins in 2010-2011.
I know I’ve said this before, but all Chrysler has to do is drop the 2.8VM Motori Diesel in the Dakota and they have a winner. It would be enough truck for 95% of people and would give a solid 25mpg+.
Functional crew cab? Their previous 4-door non-mega cab had large doors and plenty of room in the back seat. It fits 4 large males comfortably no matter how long the trip.
I want to know two specs not mentioned here to boot: the fuel economy of the upcoming hybrid and the price a buyer will pay out the door.
They say the Ram hybrid will compete economy-wise with a midsize car. If it’s offered at a reasonable price (mid 20k’s) it has a legitimate chance of helping Chrysler.
23 highway isn’t bad, but city mileage needs to be improved to at least 18 mpg on hybrids to make this truck efficient enough for a typical consumer.
I estimate (based on the YukoTahoe hybrids) it’ll get better than that.
Of all the new trucks coming out, I’d say this one is the least likely to completely crater. The F-150, with the new styling, may go over like a lead rake.
There are reports available on the interwebitubes (why did someone coin this word? it’s longer and harder to type than “internet”…) that Ford is at work on the T6 “global Ranger” and that Ford NA might bring it in if gas prices continue to climb.
Ford do Brasil makes the Courier, which I think is perfect for surfer dudes and anyone who just wants a light truck. It’s old Fiesta-based, so how hard could it be (cue, Jezza) to spin a new Courier off the new Fiesta?
…a bigger attempt to knock-off the F-150’s design.
Actually, the 1997 F-150 restyle with the tall hood/low front fenders was a knock-off of the look introduced on the 1994 Dodge pickup. Dodge was also the first to morph that into the “big rig” look in 2002. I would say that this new Dodge p/u steals design cues from the Mustang more-so than the F-150.
So no mention of the new smaller diesel that’s supposed to be available in the Ram 1500?
Also, the cargo storage areas built into the box sides look like a waste of time to anybody that puts a cap on their truck because then you can’t open them!
I will have to burn my keyboard after typing this, but it looks damn good from that angle. Much better than the funny Ford, silly Silverado and Toy trucks of late. Nissan still doesn’t count.
Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. I can hear the watch cry “Iceberg Ahead”.
Ummm,
There seem to be a few facts that got lost in the shuffle.
1. Full size pickups constitute the largest market in the US, with close to 3 million in annual sales
2. This is Chrysler’s most important product and its best seller
3. It appears to be much improved, with highway mileage 20% better, without expensive hybrid technology.
4. The market for pickups is down, and Chrysler is doing the smart thing by consolidating the market, taking over Nissan’s production.
Come on, guys, no silver lining whatsoever?
I agree with the Titanic reference. Dodge always seemed to rely more on the lifestyle purchasers than Ford or Chevy (when was the last time you saw a contractor driving a Ram?). These are the same buyers that are leaving the market in droves.
Have they fixed the vacuum problem that caused the HVAC to blow air out of different vents depending on the position of the accelerator pedal?
Who on earth needs 7 second 0-60 times in a truck?
Also, I agree with MikeInCanada that the few Ram buyers seem to either be lowest bidder government jobs or “lifestyle” individual buyers. I can’t remember the last time I saw a contractor, yard service or farmer driving a 1/2 ton Dodge Ram. Fords and Chevys rule the serious truck user market.
Sliding off topic. But since someone asked…
interwebitubes (why did someone coin this word?
Thanks for Sen. Ted Stevens (Alaska), who went on a rant about how the internet is “… a series of tubes”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_of_tubes
He was upset that pirates were clogging the internet with illegal movie downloads and slowing down his email. Read it, or listen to it, and it will chill your spine to see that someone this clueless is in charge of our nation’s Internet policies.
There’s more to this than the pickup market deflating itself.
A Cummins V6 turbodiesel is coming for 2010, and I’m putting my money on it being better than any sort of diesel Mercedes can put out. A hybrid Ram is also coming, for those who don’t like soot.
And to all who clamor for a real compact truck: Rumors are flying like crazy about the next Dakota being considerably downsized.
“The Hemi is now up to 380 horses (from about 345) and torque is now 404 lb ft.”
That’s an insult and a disservice to the name Hemi. The Corvette has over 500hp. So should the “Hemi”.
As far as I know, Chevrolet is letting the Colorado fade away (no updates, redesigns, etc.)
Will that be the end of the Atlas 4s and 5s? Seems like a relatively short-lived engine family.
A very nice Mega Cab Ram passed me on the way to work yesterday. It was great to see, and I waved from my 15 to 17 mpg Jeep TJ Wrangler. LOL