The Ram 1500 TRX arrives with a 702-horsepower, supercharged Hellcat V8.
Ram HD gets revised diesel engine with 1,075 pound-feet of torque.
A midsize Ram pickup truck could be revealed sometime in 2021.
The Ram truck brand is undoubtedly the most lucrative for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in North America, thanks mainly to its line of full-size pickup trucks. It also offers two commercial van models for the working professional.
So far, there hasn’t been much to chew on from an electrification standpoint, as FCA is currently merging with Groupe PSA to form a larger, more global-reach manufacturer. Right now, the future of both companies’ brands is up in the air at the moment, but it’s safe to say that Ram is here to stay. Where’s what to expect from the Ram brand in 2021.
The Ram 1500 is FCA’s cash cow, and after receiving a full redesign for the 2019 model year, it keeps on adding special-edition variants and new features every year. The big news for 2021 is the addition of the Ram 1500 TRX, a beast of an off-road pickup with a supercharged 6.2L V8 developing 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. There’s also a Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition with a unique brown interior and specific exterior trim, a Limited Night Edition with a monochromatic appearance, while a color head-up display, a camera-based rearview mirror and Trailer Reverse Steering Control are available as well. The Ram 1500 offers a mild hybrid 3.6L V6 (305 horsepower), a 5.7L HEMI V8 (395 hp), a mild hybrid 5.7L V8 (395 hp) and a turbo-diesel 3.0L V6 (260 hp, 480 pound-feet of torque).
There’s no PHEV or EV Ram 1500 pickup in sight, but if we’re to believe FCA CEO Mike Manley, it could eventually happen.
Back in 2018, FCA announced that it would bring a midsize pickup truck back to the North American market, which would normally be bigger than the compact Ram 700 that’s available in Mexico and South American countries. We have yet to see this new pickup, but it might appear in 2021 as a 2022 model. It could be called the Ram 1000, the Ram Dakota, or something else completely.
In the meantime, the Ram 1500 Classic solders on into 2021 with minimal changes as an affordable rival to the competition’s midsize pickup trucks. The Classic is basically a simplified lineup of the previous-generation Ram 1500, available in Tradesman, Express, SLT (Canada only), Night Edition (Canada only) and Warlock trim levels, with either a 305-horsepower 3.6L V6 or a 395-hp 5.7L V8.
The 2021 Ram HD, composed or the 2500 and 3500 series trucks, is also now available with a Limited Night Edition package, while the Ram 2500 Power Wagon gets a 75th Anniversary Edition too. Aside from the standard 6.4L HEMI V8 engine developing 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, the Cummins turbo-diesel 6.7L inline-six has been revised to produce up to 400 hp and 1,075 lb.-ft. The Ram HD is available in Regular Cab, Crew Cab with two bed lengths and Mega Cab configurations, six trim levels as well as 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains.
Meanwhile, the Ram ProMaster City is available in two-seat Cargo and five-passenger Wagon variants, both equipped with a 2.4L inline-four engine that develops 178 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and a front-wheel drivetrain. The ProMaster City gets few changes for 2021, limited to available fog lamps and expanded availability of alloy wheels in the lineup. An all-new ProMaster City might be revealed sometime in 2021 as a 2022 model.
The full-size Ram ProMaster is available in various length and roof height configurations, all equipped with a 3.6L V6 that develops 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, matched to a six-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. For the 2021 model year, the ProMaster gets Crosswind Assist as standard, which helps the driver stay on course in windy driving conditions, along with available blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning with emergency braking and camera-based rearview mirror.
