Auburn
Hills -- Bold, Capable and Powerful: The Toughest Dodge
Rams Ever
Developing a replacement for the legendary Dodge Ram design
was no easy task. The Chrysler Group's Truck Product Team was
given the mandate to create the boldest, most capable and most
durable heavy-duty pickup ever. Done.
The
all-new 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty debuts as the most powerful
heavy-duty pickup, with the all-new 5.7-liter HEMI? Magnum
V-8, the most powerful diesel engine on the market and the
most powerful standard V-8 engine in its class.
"Heavy
Duty owners routinely push their Rams to the limit," said
Rich Schaum, Executive Vice President, Product Development and
Quality. "That is why about 75 percent of our Ram
2500/3500 sales are diesels, and 70 percent are four-wheel
drive models. These trucks are being used, and used hard. Our
reputation as the longest-lasting pickup, and now the most
powerful diesel pickup available, will serve us well in this
market."
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Finally,
a real four-door cab that seats up to six hard-working
or vacationing adults. From all appearances, it's
comfortable and to the point.
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The
2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty carries forward its reputation for
toughness with the only seven year/70,000 mile warranty in the
heavy-duty segment, class-leading towing and Gross Combined
Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR), and interior room. New from
grille to tailgate, the Heavy Duty Dodge Rams bring an array
of new powerplants, class-leading features and the "big
rig" styling that has been a Ram hallmark since 1994.
"This
is definitely a growth segment for pickups," said Darryl
Jackson, Vice President, Dodge Marketing. "The heavy-duty
pickup market has grown 34 percent since 1996, with 2500/3500
pickups now accounting for 31 percent of the large pickup
market. Ram 2500s and 3500s now account for a third of overall
Ram sales, and with the 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500, we are
poised to increase those numbers significantly."
For
2003, the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty is aimed at the heart
of the heavy-duty market with two new engine offerings and,
for the first time on a Ram, a 3500 single rear wheel option.
Pushing
the Limits
"Our
1500 Ram buyers are looking for a multi-use truck, but these
trucks rarely come close to their performance potential,"
said Jackson. "Dodge Ram Heavy Duty owners are different.
They also want a multi-use truck, but buy their Dodge Ram
Heavy Duty with very specific tasks in mind. And those tasks
often require maximum capability."
For
the 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, Dodge created a new and tougher
duty cycle test designed to improve durability. Aimed directly
at the needs of commercial customers, the new cycle includes
testing the 2003 Ram Heavy Duty in conditions ranging from
minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 130 degrees Fahrenheit and
running the equivalent of 150,000 miles in conditions testing
maximum payload on- and off-road, maximum towing availability
and duplicating the kinds of abuse delivered by a 95th
percentile customer.
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It's
big, bad and the ultimate Dodge to strike the showroom
floor thus far. Take a look at all it has to offer
over last year's model. You're going to want one.
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New
HEMI Magnum: Heavy-Duty Torque, Durability and Class-leading
Horsepower
The
all-new 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 herald the return of one
of the most legendary names in automotive lore: HEMI. This is
the Chrysler Group's first application of the new 5.7-liter
HEMI- which for the Dodge Ram will be called HEMI Magnum and
is the standard engine on the all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
pickup trucks. This all-new engine produces 345 horsepower at
5,400 rpm and 375 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm, providing up
to an 85 horsepower advantage over competitive standard V-8
engines. In fact, versus competitive vehicles with similar
size gasoline engines, it provides best-in-class acceleration
and towing capability, as well as significantly improved fuel
efficiency over the engine it replaces.
All-New
Cummins Turbo Diesel: The Most Powerful Diesel in a Heavy-Duty
Pickup
Another
returning legend is the all-new, high-pressure, common-rail
injection, High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel engine. The new
High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel is the most powerful turbo
diesel engine available in the heavy-duty segment, producing
305 horsepower at 2,900 rpm and 555 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,400
rpm. That prodigious torque results in a class-leading towing
capability of 23,000 pounds (GCVWR). Also available is a
standard Cummins Turbo Diesel with 250 horsepower at 2,900 rpm
and 460 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,400 rpm.
As
durable as it is powerful, the Cummins Turbo Diesel has
average major overhaul intervals of 350,000 miles, providing a
substantial advantage over the competition. An inline six, the
new 5.9-liter Cummins has 30 to 40 percent fewer parts than
typical V-8 diesels, which means added durability and better
reliability.
"Ram
Tough" Chassis Delivers Class-Leading Ride and Handling
"Building
on the advances we made in safety, ride and handling on the
all-new Dodge Ram 1500, we were able to create a heavy-duty
truck with precise steering and a comfortable ride without
compromising its work ethic," said Frank Klegon, Vice
President, Truck Product Team. "We were able to do this
because Ram has an extensively hydroformed frame-one of the
stiffest ever on a pickup truck. That chassis stiffness
provides a firm foundation for tuning out noise, vibration and
harshness (NVH) from the suspension."
Assisting
steering and handling on two-wheel drive Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
pickup trucks is a new rack and pinion steering system that
delivers enhanced feel and response tuned for more precise
on-road handling. On four-wheel drive Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
pickups, an all-new recirculating ball system improves
on-center steering feel through lower internal friction and
responds more precisely. The 13.4:1 ratio and 2.75 turns
lock-to-lock are especially effective in a heavy-duty truck
when making tight turns, or maneuvering a trailer in close
quarters. These new steering systems all but eliminate the
wander or imprecision normally associated with heavy-duty
truck steering.
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In
a classic pose, the new Dodge makes itself at home in
the usual position, up in front and towing Chevys and
Fords that just can't make the cut.
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Dodge
Ram Heavy Duty Delivers Class Leading Capability On- and
Off-Road
With
the majority of Heavy Duty Rams being ordered with four-wheel
drive, the Dodge Ram's off-road performance is a key selling
point. Two new transfer cases, a conventional manual shift and
a new electric shift, are available on 2500 and 3500
four-wheel drive models to provide quieter operation, and even
more durability. The manual-shift unit is standard on ST and
SLT models. The electric-shift unit is standard on Laramie
models.
Four-wheel
drive models are equipped with an all-new front axle, but
retain solid beam construction. All-new rear axles contribute
to a best-in-class payload rating (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) of up to 12,000 pounds. The refined four-wheel drive
system on the all-new 2500/3500 Dodge Ram pickup provides an
outstanding combination of ride, handling and off-road
operating characteristics.
The
front suspension on four-wheel drive 2500 and 3500 Dodge Ram
Pickups is a refined version of the five-link, coil-spring
suspension with beam axle used on the previous series Dodge
Ram Heavy Duty. A link-type sway bar and heavy-duty tubular
shock absorbers are standard. The rear suspension, common to
both two- and four-wheel drive models, is equipped with new,
three-inch longer leaf springs.
Dodge
Rams Set New Safety Standards for the Heavy-Duty Truck Market
The
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 boast class-leading safety
standards with the first heavy-duty pickup application of side
curtain air bags. Dodge Ram Heavy Duty also offers the first
power adjustable pedals (on both automatic and manual
transmission equipped trucks), and pre-tensioning,
constant-force seat belt retractors.
Designed
with a holistic safety approach, all-new Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
utilizes both conventional safety features, such as standard
next-generation driver and front-passenger air bags, and
combines them with accident avoidance features such as precise
steering, handling and braking. The 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
trucks also include a standard Lower Anchors and Tether for
Children (LATCH) child seat anchorage system. The passenger
side air bag can be turned off on Standard Cab Rams to
accommodate child seats.
A
standard four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS), the
largest brake rotors in its class and 17-inch wheels and
tires-the largest standard wheels and tires on a heavy-duty
pickup-all contribute to Dodge Ram's excellent safety and
handling capability.
Design:
Big, Bold and Powerful Enough to be a Dodge Ram Heavy Duty
With
the most visually recognizable DNA of any pickup, a strong
business case was made to combine the styling of the all-new
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 with the new heavy-duty chassis of the Ram
2500 and 3500. From the beginning of the Ram 1500 design
process, engineers were already taking into account the extra
capacities and development needs of the heavy-duty series of
Rams. The Ram 1500's grille, for example, was designed to be
large enough to incorporate the extra cooling needs
necessitated by the Heavy-Duty Ram powertrains.
"Despite
our competition's need to toughen the look of their heavy-duty
pickups, we didn't feel it was necessary to move from the bold
Ram design to provide a different look for the 2500 and
3500," said Rick Aneiros, Vice President of Design and
Ram Design Team Leader. "The massive horse collar grille
is bigger and bolder, and still the most recognizable Dodge
Ram feature. This truck makes the type of statement a
heavy-duty truck needs to make. It says Ram."
The
all-new 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickups are built at the
Saltillo, Mexico and St. Louis North Assembly Plants.
Dodge@Off-Road.com
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