"We have a reputation for building tough trucks and in this market, being tough and capable is everything," said Frank Klegon, Vice President, Truck Product Team. "With a GVWR of 23,000 pounds and the ability to tow more than 16,000 pounds, Ram is certainly capable. As for durability and toughness, Ram is already the longest lasting pickup on the market, and the all-new Ram is even better. We plan to expand upon the quality gains made on the Ram 1500, which performed well in the most recent J.D. Power Initial Quality rankings."

Based on the J.D. Power and Associates 2002 Initial Quality Survey, which measures problems per 100 vehicles, Ram 1500 had a 15 percent reduction of problems compared with its predecessor.

"To make gains over a product that has been in production for eight years is remarkable," said Don Dees, Vice President, Quality for the Chrysler Group. "This is a strong indication of our efforts to focus on quality as we launch the next Dodge Ram Heavy Duty trucks. While the Ram Heavy Duty has a unique chassis design, it shares many design and manufacturing processes with the Ram 1500, and we will certainly take those lessons learned from that successful launch and use them to deliver an even stronger Ram 2500/3500."

Longest Lasting Pickup and Getting Stronger

Further expanding on Dodge Ram's reputation as the longest lasting pickup on the market* and targeting new quality standards, Dodge created a new duty cycle for the 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty 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, on and off-road, and at their maximum payload ratings.

Quality from the Ground Up

The all-new heavy-duty chassis, featuring an extensively hydroformed and boxed heavy-duty frame, not only delivers excellent torsional rigidity and chassis refinement, it also simplifies the manufacturing process, improving durability, quality control and testing repeatability.

"We have been able to reduce the overall number of welds needed in the chassis construction, which limits variations in the manufacturing process and improves quality and overall durability," said Rich Schaum, Executive Vice President, Product Development and Quality. "This is a chassis design that will redefine how truck chassis are built. The 2003 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty chassis is a base from which we can deliver a smoother ride-both on- and off-road-improved performance in safety crash tests and in real world safety, yet can still take the abuse of hard-working Ram customers."

Quality without Sacrificing Desirability

In addition to providing excellent quality and durability, the Ram Heavy Duty 2500 and 3500 provide excellent ride, handling, power, safety and the most stylish wrapper of any heavy-duty truck. Ram Heavy Duty's Regular Cab and Quad CabTM interiors are also class-leading, sharing the design of the Ram 1500, which was ranked first in owner satisfaction among all four-door pickup trucks in AutoPacific Inc.'s 2002 Vehicle Satisfaction Score (VSS) study.** Both Ram Quad Cab and Standard Cab models feature larger-than-the-competition interiors and offer excellent head, shoulder, leg and hip room.

"You need to cover all your bases in a field this competitive, so creating a truck with high quality and a high desirability quotient was essential," said Klegon. "In this market, combining tough and capable with comfort was another Ram goal."

*Based on R.L. Polk & Co. new pickup registrations from 7/8-7/00 and still registered as of 7/1/00.

**The Tustin, California-based AutoPacific conducts the annual VSS study based upon research and feedback from 34,000 new vehicle owners. Owners rank vehicles on overall satisfaction, as well as 43 specific areas related to operation, comfort, safety and purchase/lease experience.