Dodge Ram 1500 price
he Dodge Ram local right-hand drive conversion is done by American Special Vehicles, the same outfit that does the Chevy Silverado.
The Ram lineup opens with the 291kW/556Nm 5.7-liter petrol Hemi V8/eight-speed auto/dual range 4x4 1500 Express Quad Cab, priced at $79,950. It has a GVM of 3450kg and can tow up to 4500kg. The longer 1500 Laramie Crew Cab is $99,950. Atop the Ram 1500 range is a 179kW/570Nm 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel (as also used in the Jeep Grand Cherokee) Laramie, priced at $109,950. It can tow up to 3500kg.Ram Laramie 2500 is $139,950 and Laramie 3500 is $146,950. Both are powered by a 276kW/1048Nm 6.7-litre straight-six Cummins turbodiesel engine with a six-speed automatic and part-time, dual-range 4x4.
ASV has the factory backing of Dodge Ram USA and the vehicles are shipped with Australian radios and navigation already built-in. Engineering work was headed by a team of former Holden Special Vehicles engineers; the conversion assembly line is in a building adjacent to where HSV is made, at Clayton in Melbourne. The model I tested, the Ram 2500, with a GVM of 4490kg, can be driven on a car license. Both Ram models are identical in size and appearance but the heavy-duty suspension and higher GVM on the flagship 3500 deems it a truck in the eyes of the law. The irony is that the Ram 2500 can tow a massive 6.9 tonnes (when a gooseneck is fitted), while Ram 3500 can “only” tow 6.17 tonnes. The 3500 can also carry 1.7 tonnes in the tray — so you need a light truck license to drive it because its GVM is 5.3 tonnes — versus 913kg for 2500. The 3500 is also offered with a revised suspension and a lighter 894kg payload capacity, allowing it to be driven on a car license. This variant costs $144,350.A set of "RamBox" 243-liter storage compartments in the 2500's tub is a $4400 option. The standard tub length is 1938mm. An extended tub that's 2496mm long adds $1000 in both the 2500 and 3500, and also includes a 132-liter fuel tank. Climbing aboard, it’s easy to see why some customers like these types of vehicles.
Aside from their epic towing capacity, you sit high above the traffic with a commanding view of the road ahead. The dash is squeak-free and the massive 6.7-liter in-line six-cylinder Cummins turbo-diesel engine seems eerily quiet, possibly due to the extra insulation fitted by ASV in Clayton. Peak power of 276kW is impressive enough, but what really gets your attention, especially on the road, is the Cummins’ 1084Nm of torque.
Believe me, there’s hardly any need for more grunt and whatever size caravan you want to tow will present no problems at all. After 660km, fuel consumption ranged from 10–11L/100km on the freeway and 13.5L/100km in a mix of city and open-road driving. Downsides? There aren’t many. The foot-operated park brake and the column shift gear lever are to the right of the driver and you need to allow a little extra room to pull 3.5 tonnes of the monster truck to a stop. The Ram is a good thing if you want maximum towing capacity, with the ability to haul something like a fifth wheeler with ridiculous ease. The Australian conversion is very well done and you get a whole lot of truck for your money.
By Joshua Dowling
THINGS WE LIKE
Has a factory-made feel even though it’s converted locally
Massive grunt from the Cummins turbodiesel
Luxury features and plenty of cabin space
The price is reasonable and resale values are high
Effortless towing of heavy trailers
THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Needs a wide-view mirror for the driver’s side
3.5 tonnes of truck takes a bit of room to pull up
Trying to find a big enough parking spot
SPEX (Ram 2500)
Made in Mexico
6.7-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel/six-speed automatic/part-time, dual-range 4WD
276kW of power at 2800rpm/1084Nm of torque at 1600rpm
0–100km/h N/A
Fuel consumption: No Australian Standard figures are yet available; fuel tank 117 liters
Max towing weight: 6942kg (with gooseneck), 4500kg (with 70mm ball), 3500kg (with 50mm ball)
Warranty: Three years/100,000km
Standard: Six airbags, stability control, two rear-view cameras (one for the tray bed, one with turning guidelines for parking), touchscreen, Bluetooth, USB connection, USB, 12V and 240V power, heated and cooled leather seats, Alpine sound system.
Redbook future values: 3yr: 60%; 5yr: 46%
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