The looming full-size pick-up war is heating up, with Ram upgrading the spec of its 1500 models ready to take the fight to the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford’s F-150, arriving in Australia in mid-2023, and the Toyota Tundra, scheduled for local introduction in the fourth quarter of next year.
Updates from Stellantis in the USA mark the biggest change as the introduction of a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster, offering 20-plus menus, five configurable tiles for quick access to often used information, and a choice of digital or analogue-style gauges. The colour display’s set-up can also be saved to an individual user profile.
The central 12.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, running the ‘Uconnect 5’ package, has also been tweaked to include an ‘Emergency Vehicle Alert System’ (EVAS), while retaining split-screen capability, 360-degree camera views, navigation, and more.
New 22-inch all-terrain tyres have been made available on the 1500 Laramie and Limited, and all models will feature ‘Rear-seat Reminder Alert’ and an LED hitch lamp in the tailgate handle.
At the same time, a Limited Elite edition 1500 has been added to the US Ram line-up, and when asked if it’s a possibility for Australian production, Ram Trucks Australia spokesperson, Oliver Peagam told CarsGuide: “We focus on international spec vehicles, and there are many versions of the 1500 currently offered in the US that we don’t take. But never say never.”
Ram Trucks Australia is the official importer/distributor for Ram in Australia and New Zealand, and lays claim to being the only factory-authorised full-volume manufacturer of right-hand-drive Ram products in the world.
“Our guys are currently working through 2023 spec and (in terms of specification) we’ll continue to focus on what customers want,” Mr Peagam added.
The Ram 1500 Limited Elite features a multi-function locking tailgate, tailgate ajar warning lamp, a bed step, four adjustable cargo tie-down anchors, as well as a bed extender and cargo divider.
Inside, there’s a ‘jewelled’ rotary shifter, a unique instrument cluster theme, premium leather front bucket seats, heated and ventilated 12-way electrically-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, a suede headliner, a heated steering wheel and bright stainless pedal covers.
Ram enjoyed its biggest monthly sales in Australia last month, with 552 registrations in August, and year-to-date sales approaching 4000, a whopping 38 per cent up on the same period in 2021.
The updated 1500 is scheduled to land in Australia in the fourth-quarter of 2022.
But Mr Peagam said the company is keenly aware of fresh competition coming in 2023, noting that first mover advantage has driven the brand’s current success, while acknowledging the need to step up in what will soon be a hotly contested market segment.
One powerful ace up Ram’s sleeve is the outrageous 1500 TRX powered by a 6.2-litre supercharged Hemi V8, generating 523kW/882Nm, which is enough to propel it from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds.
At $199,950 before on-road costs in Australia, it’s a US domestic market rival to Ford’s equally tough 522kW/868Nm F-150 Raptor R (TRX aka T-Rex, trumps Raptor, get it?), and it appears Ford Australia will go further down the ‘big truck’ path here, with the brand trademarking names for the hi-po F-150 Tremor, and full-electric F-150 Lightning.
Given the Ram 1500 new model and equipment upgrades are yet to be 100 per cent confirmed for Australia, any movement on pricing is also unclear.
The current (mainstream) Ram 1500 range starts at $82,950, before on-road costs, for the fourth-generation Exceed ‘Quad-Cab’, running up to the $173,500 for the fifth-gen Limited ‘Crew Cab’.
Keyword: Upgraded 2023 RAM 1500 ready to charge at Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra