Reinvented Ram

The Dodge Ram, or just Ram as it’s now called, was all-new in 2009. Since then Chrysler has pulled itself out of a financial hole and the newly minted Ram brand steadily has built a strong following, particularly in Canada.

Chrysler has made more than the usual mid-cycle cosmetic changes to the 2013 Ram.

Now, four years in, the 2013 Ram is getting a mid-cycle refresh – one that may very well redefine that term. Why? Well, at first blush you’ll note the photos show a bit of grille work and new sheet metal bends. These and a few interior tweaks (and maybe a few new paint colours) are the norm for most refreshes. But this Ram is doing so much more and frankly it’s what’s under the skin that has the truck world buzzing.

A new V6 engine and revolutionary eight-speed transmission is at its heart. Whether Ram says so or not, everything you are about to read about here is because of one word: EcoBoost. This competing V6 engine in the Ford F-150 has been a huge sales success – one that has necessitated this radical upgrade to Ram (a truck that has long built its reputation on the V8 Hemi engine alone). And they have done it. Mechanically this 2013 Ram is anything but mid-cycle eye candy; it is virtually a new truck.

Having heard the rumours of what Ram was up to I wrangled an invite to a very small, exclusive technical background briefing in Dallas, Texas. Spending hours with the engineers down there revealed a truck that boasts more than a dozen significant changes, all aimed at reducing fuel consumption, while preserving the soul of this very popular pickup truck.

The engine in this new Ram is the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, which has been upgraded to make 305 horsepower and 269 foot-pounds of torque. It is coupled to an all-new, eight-speed transmission (developed by ZF of Germany) and, while the power and fuel savings implications of this combination will be obvious to most readers, it is the sum total of all the technical changes that has brand president and CEO Fred Diaz confident enough to flatly say his Ram will beat Ford’s EcoBoost.

Let’s look at what this engineering team has managed to do for the Ram. It starts with this eight-speed automatic transmission – definitely a first for pickups. Add to that Chrysler’s Pentastar V6 for a 20 per cent savings in fuel over the current Hemi powertrain. It also weighs 35 kilograms less than the V8. But the Hemi is not going away. It continues to be available and some six months after the Pentastar/eight-speed arrives late this year the Hemi will also get hooked up to the ZF for at least a 20 per cent fuel savings as well.

Stop/start technology has been added to the truck. A proven system that has been used sparingly by various brands, this system stops the engine at lights and restarts it as soon as the foot is lifted off the brake. This addition alone increases fuel efficiency by up to 3.3 per cent, Ram says.

Active air shutters are another first on a pickup truck. Shutters are currently found on a few high-mile vehicles like the Chevy Cruise Eco. These vents open and close as needed for cooling, and increase aerodynamics and fuel efficiency by around 0.5 per cent. They also shorten the engine warm-up time.

Significant changes to the Pentastar V6 are designed to make it competitive with the Ford F-150’s EcoBoost in terms of both power and fuel efficiency.

A new electric power steering system adds five horsepower to the Pentastar output total while reducing fuel consumption by 1.8 per cent. This is also a proven system that eliminates the constant power draw of a hydraulic pump as well as offering new steering effort calibrations matched to speed and road conditions, which in turn reduce driver fatigue.

Variable-value timing is another not-new idea added to the V6 and the Hemi V8 that saves fuel.

Pulse-width modulation is one I had not heard of. Seems that alternators produce way more power than is needed by most of a truck’s electrically run components. This system reduces that parasitic electrical draw by the fuel system and cooling fan, which reduces fuel consumption by 0.4 per cent and increases component durability.

Even though this is a mid-cycle upgrade, the team could not resist redesigning parts of the frame. By using high-strength steel they reduced overall weight by 14 kilograms.

Tires are often-overlooked potential fuel savers. The Ram is now kitted out with new, low-rolling-resistance tires as standard. The front air dam has been lengthened to increase aerodynamics, adding a 0.6 per cent improvement to Ram fuel economy. The material is a rubberized polymer, which the guys assured me will take a beating and hold its shape.

 The weirdest result comes by adding a new wheel-to-wheel side step, which was found to be aerodynamically more efficient, delivering an added 0.5 per cent fuel consumption improvement. It offered another bonus: the longer step now provides a foothold for reaching into the front of the box.

The one thing missing from all the information I gathered in Texas is the new payload and towing figures. I asked and they would not say; however, Chrysler does confirm two things: first, they will use the new SAE towing standards to determine the weights and, second, by the time the “first drive” program comes around in August they will have the numbers. For my part, I feel confident in saying that with this Ram Pentastar/eight-speed taking on the Ford EcoBoost powertrain, Ram will have to match or exceed Ford. Ford currently publishes a tow limit of 11,300 pounds the EcoBoost-equipped F-150.

For a mid-cycle refresh this is a massive update, with fuel economy being the key target – but there was more. The 2013 Ram has also added an air spring suspension. This system will automatically adjust to speed and load while manually operated settings will be available for off-road operation and even a low-profile “park” mode. The truck will be able to lift and lower as much as four inches with the press of a button. The 2013 Ram with all these upgrades will arrive in dealer showrooms in the last quarter of this year.