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Preview: 2002 Dodge Ram
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| Who said looks don't count? |
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| Updated |
Mar 17, 2005 19:41:50 |
| Rating |
 44 ( -6 -13.63% ) | | Author | Nick Twork |
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Description:
Here’s what good styling can do for you: after the 1994 Dodge Ram pickup — the one with the Peterbilt lantern jaw — had been on sale for a year, sales totals were almost three times those of the previous model. By 1999, the Ram reached 439,000 units. Basically, with the Ram, Dodge went from an also-ran to a prime-time player in the full-size pickup market.
But what to do for a follow-up? As with any successful business, there’s a tendency not to take risks when a lot is at stake. While there will be no mistaking a 2002 Ram for a 2001, the old truck and new one definitely bear a familial resemblance.
“We didn’t just reproduce the same truck,” said Chuck Rightler, Senior Manager of Truck Business Operations for DaimlerChrysler. “We kept the same basic formula but took risks in styling and proportions.”
Translated to the exterior of the truck, that means a big, strong front end, with elements of the outgoing truck, the Dakota and the Power Wagon concept blended together. Up front the new truck’s front end has a taller grille and rectangular headlamp housings with scalloped bottoms, a la the latest BMW 7-Series. Sport models get painted grilles and bumpers with polished aluminum bars, while SLT level models receive chrome in lieu of the monochromatic theme of the Sport.
Seventeen-inch wheels are standard across the board, while gigantic 20-inch polished aluminum wheels are available as an option. This is the first pickup we’ve seen from the factory that the fills out its wheel wells nicely. Together, the wheel and tire combinations offered with the new Ram contribute to a vastly improved stance.
Bedding issues
While fiddling with larger wheels, DaimlerChrysler also saw fit to add three inches to the cab of both Regular and Quad Cab models. The extra three inches came at the expense of three inches of supposedly unused bed length in short-box models. DaimlerChrysler engineers see it as an acceptable trade off.
As for models, a choice of either the shorter six-foot, three-inch bed or an eight-foot box will be offered with both the two- and four-door models. There will be no extended-cab model. Only regular and Quad Cab models are available for the 2002 Ram 1500, the latter of which now features four forward hinged doors. The new rear doors are handily equipped with two detents, one that opens about 3/4 of the way for passengers and another that opens a full 85 degrees for easier cargo loading. Dodge will release details on new 2500 and 3500 models for the 2003 model year.
With the Quad Cab, a full-width rear bench seat is standard and a 60/40-split bench is an option, to allow for a split in the rear of people and cargo. A storage compartment is revealed when the rear seat cushion is flipped forward.
The instrument panel of the new truck is also vastly improved from the old model, which was most generously described as inexpensive-looking. Power adjustable pedals and dual-zone climate control are two other new features incorporated into the 2002 Ram. A unique storage area under the center front seat also adds to the increased user-friendliness of the truck.
Safety features have been upgraded: while four-wheel ABS remains optional, side curtain airbags will be available. New larger brakes are also standard. The aforementioned larger wheels enabled engineers to package four-wheel disc brakes with 13-inch rotors front and rear. Front brake calipers are of a dual-piston design while the rear calipers make do with a single piston. Shoulder belts are included for both the front and rear-center passengers on all models.
Engine work
Under the hood, the same 5.9-liter V-8 engine from the current Ram soldiers at the top of the light-duty lineup until a new 5.7-liter SOHC unit is readied. The 5.9-liter makes the same 245 horsepower as in the outgoing truck. However, there are two powerplants that will be firsts for the Ram in 2002: the 235-hp 4.7-liter V-8 that recently became available in the Dakota is an option and the new 210-hp 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 that will first see use in the Jeep Liberty will be standard. The engines come standard with either a five-speed manual with the 4.7-liter V-8 and 3.7-liter V-6, or a four-speed automatic with the 5.9-liter V-8. The more sophisticated 45RFE automatic transmission is optional with the V-6 and 4.7-liter V-8. For the first time in the Ram, pushbutton four-wheel drive is available.
On the chassis side, an independent front suspension is new to 4x4 models and features upper and lower control arms. An aluminum steering knuckle and upper control arm help reduce unsprung weight. In the back, the length of the leaf springs has been increased and the shocks dampen suspension actions from staggered locations. The frame has been stiffened with additional cross members and hydroformed side rails. A trailer hitch receiver has been integrated into the frame and doubles as the frame’s last cross member.
Trailer hitches aside, while some may criticize the new Ram as more evolutionary than revolutionary, the truck makes solid improvements on its predecessor and, more importantly, the competition. With significantly little new in sight from the competition at Ford and Chevrolet for the next few years, it is likely that the 2002 Ram will sell better than its predecessor. Production of the new truck is scheduled to begin in July. |
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