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Got loads of stuff to move but want more comfort than a truck? A properly engineered right-hand-drive Dodge Ram may be the answer.
WHAT IS IT? A US-market light truck imported to Australia by HSV’s licence-holder, Walkinshaw, and converted into right-hand drive via a properly engineered, factory approved process. You buy it from the Walkinshaw subsidiary that does the conversion, American Special Vehicles.
THE WHEELS VERDICT It’s a truck, and drives like one. But it looks sharp, inside and out, and carries enough creature comforts – and metal for the money – to justify the price tag. You don’t want to drive it every day, though.
PLUS: Stonking performance; massive tow ability; comfortable and well-equipped cabin; decent metal for the money MINUS: Rough unladen ride; high fuel use; not made for the shopping centre car park
THE WHEELS REVIEW THE zombie apocalypse has just dawned and what’s left of your next door neighbour is clawing at the front door. In front of you are two options for escape: the key to a conventional crew cab trade ute, and the other a key to one of the most beastly behemoths to ever ply Aussie roads, the rootin’, tootin’ Ram 2500 Laramie. Yeah, I’d grab the Ram keys too.
We can verify it barks quite a pleasant, neighbourhood-unfriendly “BAAAAAAAAARP” on downhill runs.
Despite its bulk the Ram’s tray can barely cart a tonne, so if carrying capacity is key buy a Mercedes-Benz G-Professional. The Ram’s forte is pulling stuff; with an ordinary towball it’s rated at 4.5 tonnes for a braked trailer (that’s a tonne more than a boggo trade ute), but with a truck-like pintle hitch that number steps up to a spit roast shy of 7.0 tonnes.
It also has dusk-sensing headlights and the huge spa-sized tub includes a night light and load space camera.
Bumps at low speeds seem to oscillate around about a 5.0 on the Richter scale, and on the freeway it steps up to about a 7.0. It skipped so badly that at one point it felt as though none of the four load-rated Michelins wrapped around the smart-looking 18-inch alloys were in contact with the ground – we’ll call that a 9.0.
We took the Ram over test roads that have been used to rate everything from sports cars to vans. The immediate feeling is one of disconnection, much like driving a car in a video game while seated on a rollercoaster. Body roll is well controlled but the centre of gravity shifts sharply under the driver’s arse, and the six-speed automatic keeps the big diesel in its torquey hot-spot most of the time.
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There’s only a single rev figure given for that peak torque – just 1600rpm – because after that it’s on a long, slow slide downhill. It means there’s really no point to hustling the Ram; progress is better served slowly.
No doubt the Ram will settle down with a load on board, so testing it unladen isn’t seeing the truck at its best.
The fuel use wasn’t great, either; he averages around 24.0L/100km fully loaded, while the Ram drank an average of about 16L.0/100km – unladen – on test, its 110-litre tank emptying alarmingly quickly on the freeway.
Yep, so the Ram 2500 Laramie is more about presence. It’s that hauler for the polocrosse horse float, race car transporter or fifth-wheeler caravan rather than the excavator, bobcat or that three cubic metres of brickie’s sand on a tandem axle.
And hot damn Mary-Anne, it will look nice doing it.
SPECS Model: Ram Laramie 2500 Engine: 6690cc in-line 6cyl, ohc, 24v, turbo-diesel Max power: 276kW @ 2800rpm Max torque: 1084Nm @ 1600rpm Transmission: 6-speed automatic Weight: 3577kg 0-100km/h: N/A Price: $139,500 On sale: Now
