Auto enthusiasts often point to the pony car wars as the last bastion of one-upsmanship among Detroit's automakers, but the truth is, the pickup wars are every bit as competitive if not more so. Auburn Hills keeps a ready eye on what their rivals in Dearborn and Detroit are doing, and vice-versa. Today, that battle is renewed with the introduction of Ram's 2013 Heavy Duty and Chassis Cab lines at the State Fair of Texas. Why a state fair? The Banner State is the perfect battleground for pickup supremacy, as Texas accounts for one of every five pickups sold in the U.S.
On the HD front, Chrysler is boasting that its brand-new heavies will bring best-in-class towing, torque, payload and Gross Combined Weight Rating, but thus far, it's declining to cite what those figures are. For the moment, though, Fred Diaz, President and CEO of Ram told us at an Auburn Hills background event earlier this month that key towing and hauling metrics are poised for a substantial improvement. "And not just by a little bit. I think we're going to shock the world," said Diaz.Towing and hauling metrics are poised for a substantial improvement. "... and not just by a little bit."
Visually, not much has changed over the outgoing models Ram customers told Chrysler not to mess with their distinctive drop-shoulder look. On 2500 and 3500 HD models there's a new, taller grille, which necessitated a new hood as well. SLT trims and above receive LED corner lamps and certain models receive LED taillamps as well. Other changes include redesigned wheel choices, a new power fold mirror design and to show you how carefully automakers think about intended use redesigned badges on the bodyside. Why? Because the new "portrait-style" badges better accommodate the signage that many commercial truck buyers add to their doors.
But far more important than stinkin' badges for work trucks is what's underneath, and to that end, there are some significant changes to report from the House of Ram. For 2013, HD models get essentially all-new frames with wider front rails to accommodate new suspension design geometry. Front suspension on the 3500 goes to a three-link design to accommodate heavier loads and weighty front-mounted accessories like snow plows. As one would expect, the rear still rides on leaf springs, but Ram says they've been redesigned to improve handling and hauling ability.
Via: 2013 Ram HD and Chassis Cab pickups are ready for work
2013 Ram HD and Chassis Cab pickups are ready for work Gallery
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