Ram Commercial has boosted performance and capability of its 2019 Ram Heavy Duty (2500 and 3500) pickup trucks with a new, high-output 6.7L Cummins inline-six-cylinder engine with the most power of any light-duty pickup on the market.
The trucks, which were unveiled at the Detroit auto show, also add more technology and interior upgrades, including the 12-inch landscape touchscreen found in the 2019 Ram 1500. The newly updated pickups will go on sale by July 1, 2019, according to Dave Elshoff, head of Ram Brand communications.
The Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups are powered by three engines, including a pair of updated 6.7L inline-six cylinder Cummins turbo diesels and standard 6.4L Hemi V-8. A high-output 6.7L Cummins that tops the engine lineup produces up to 400 horsepower and 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque. Ram engineers were able to achieve a significant boost in horsepower and torque, while reducing overall engine weight by 60 pounds.
The second 6.7L Cummins turbo diesel produces 370 hp and 850 ft.lb. of torque. The Ram HD's base V-8 gasoline engine power has been increased to 410 hp and 429 lb.-ft. of torque.
The engines will deliver their power via three transmissions. Ram is pairing its high-output diesel with the Aisin AS69RC six-speed automatic that improves shift quality. The standard 6.7L diesel will deliver power through an upgraded Ram 68RFE six-speed automatic transmission. Ram is pairing its Hemi V-8 with a new TorqueFlite 8HP75 8-speed automatic transmission.
The increased power has boosted the hauling capabilities of the Ram HD trucks to a maximum of 7,680 pounds of payload and 35,100 pounds of tow weight. To achieve these weights, the truck would need to be equipped with the high-output 6.7L diesel engine.
In addition to the added power, Ram has reduced overall weight by up to 143 pounds by incorporating lighter-weight materials in the frame, powertrain, and with an aluminum hood. Ram is adding a third cab, called a Mega Cab, alongside the regular and crew cab models that will offer 258 liters of interior storage capacity.
Technology upgrades include a new 360-degree surround-view camera with a trailer reverse guidance view and an advanced trailer tire pressure monitoring system that accomodates up to six pickup tires (for dual rear-wheel models), 12 trailer tires, and four towing profiles. The fully redesigned interior adds the Uconnect 4C navigation system with a 12-inch screen.
The trucks add more than 100 available safety features such as automatic emergency braking, a cargo-view camera, and Ram 3500 back-up sensors with wider coverage for dual-rear-wheel trucks.
Ram will also offer an updated 2019 Power Wagon based on the 2500 pickup with new content such as a 360-degree camera, front-mounted WARN Zeon-12 winch, and a Power Wagon package for the Tradesman model.
The trucks will be built at the Saltillo Truck Assembly Plant in Coahuila, Mexico.
