Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Truck, Work, Chrysler

2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output

2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output – Click above for high-res image gallery

The minds at Chrysler have set out to make sure that buyers who need to tow small planetary bodies on occasion are taken care of with its new high-output 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine. The oil-burning mill churns out 23 percent more torque than the old engine, and the final figure now sits at an astronomical 800 pound-feet. There’s also 390 horsepower on hand, and combined, those numbers are good enough to help the 3500 HD tow up to 22,700 pounds. The big-daddy Ram also packs a ridiculous gross vehicle rating of 30,000 pounds when equipped with the optional Max Tow package.

Those impressive ratings are partially thanks to the truck’s braking system. Chrysler’s engineers folded in the largest brakes of any full-size pickup with 14.17-inch rotors up front and 14.09-inch discs out back, and the 3500 HD wears what Chrysler calls the strongest exhaust brake available on any heavy-duty pickup.

Additionally, that meaty Cummins block is said to be good for over 350,000 miles before requiring a major overhaul, and unlike competitors from Ford and General Motors, this beast requires no diesel exhaust fluid to pass emissions. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output

Gallery: 2011 Ram 3500 High Output

2011 Ram 3500 High Output2011 Ram 3500 High Output2011 Ram 3500 High Output2011 Ram 3500 High Output2011 Ram 3500 High Output

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear

Chicago 2011: 2011 Ram 3500 HD High Output takes the torque war nuclear originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PickupTrucks.com pits 2011 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Diesel against Delta IV Heavy rocket

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Work, Dodge

Ram HD vs. Rocket

Talk about odd hauling. The team over at PickupTrucks.com put together a rather interesting comparision: 2011 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty diesel vs. Delta IV Heavy rocket. One is capable of crusing down the highway with a gross combined weight rating (vehicle, passengers and trailer) of 25,400 pounds. The other is easily capable of lifting that entire load into geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above our planet.

RocketWhile the guys didn’t send the truck into space, they did use the Ram at the launch site (Vandenberg AFB along the California coast) as a camera platform. Autoblog tagged along for a ride (in the Ram, not the rocket) and took a handful of pics at the successful launch.

Oh, the comparison? Long story short, the truck is quicker to 60 mph but the rocket has a much higher top speed. The truck has dual-zone air conditioning, while the rocket chills with supercooled liquid fuel (483,500 gallons all kept below -297 degrees Fahrenheit). And, of course, the truck offers Satellite Radio while the big rocket simply becomes a satellite.

Gallery: Delta IV vs. Ram HD Pickup

Delta IV rocket vs. Ram 3500 HD pickup

Photos copyright (C)2011 Michael Harley / AOL

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

PickupTrucks.com pits 2011 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Diesel against Delta IV Heavy rocket originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab

Filed under: Truck, Work, Dodge, Reviews, Diesel

A Work Horse You Can Live With

2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab front view

2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Mega Cab – Click above for high-res image gallery

Big Red. Take one look at the massive red monster above and you’ll understand why it picked up that nickname moments after arriving at our door. Cliched name aside, we wanted to find out exactly what one can or can’t do with a truck like the 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Mega Cab. After all, a four-wheel-drive, diesel-powered behemoth doesn’t come cheap, and there has to be ample justification for its existence if you’re going to try and make room for one in your jumbo-sized garage. To that end, we used the beast as our daily driver for a week, and while we never once came close to reaching anything near its prodigious capabilities, we did find out what it’s like to live with.

Oh, and when we sat down to put our thoughts into words, we also decided to see how many ways we could describe how large this truck really is. Read on to see how we fared.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab

2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab

Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab

Review: 2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Mega Cab originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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