Dodge Truck Information

Since their inception, Chrysler's Dodge Ram trucks have earned a reputation for producing long-lasting pickup trucks. By 1993, that reputation still held, although competitors like Ford and General Motors built better-looking and equally durable trucks, and took a larger market share. Most Dodges were purchased for their Cummins diesel engines. That changed in 1994, when Dodge dramatically restyled its trucks to convey what they really were: big rig trucks disguised as pickups.

Body Design

Dodge Ram trucks in the late 1980s and early 1990s were purchased for their powerful diesel engines, not for body styling. Dodge's reputation was tied to performance, particularly torque. Body design was pedestrian at best, with rounded, slab-sided panels that gave it a slightly obese look.

The Look

Dodge executives asked truck owners and enthusiasts about what they wanted in a truck. They discovered that most buyers hungered for the look of a big rig. Inspired by Peterbilt, Freightliner and other tractor-trailer rigs, Dodge designed a truck with separate front fenders, a raised hood and a distinctive grille. It also reminded buyers of the bygone era of their fathers' trucks, with rounded raised hoods and bulbous fenders that denoted durability.

Consistency

Today, Dodge has adopted the "don't-mess-with-success" philosophy and employs the same design concept it adopted in 1994. The cross-hairs grille, separate fenders and raised hood remain. Following a period in the mid-2000s in which the Ram's front end seemed to sag under its own weight, it returned in 2009 with a forward-looking, streamlined and aggressive appearance, as if it's straining headlong into the wind while on the highway.

Market Share

In 1993, Dodge held a seven percent market share of truck sales. Ford's F-150 Series and General Motors' Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra far outperformed the lowly Dodge. But Dodge's redesign in 1994, mimicking what every pickup truck owner wanted--a pocket-sized big rig--changed Dodge's fortunes. As of 2009, Dodge's market share stands at 20 percents, its best sales performance ever, while Chevrolet owns 32 percent, Ford 29 and Japanese imports the rest.

Models

Today's light-duty Ram is offered in three sizes: the 1500, 2500 and the dually 3500 series. The most popular, the half-ton 1500 model, features the RamBox storage compartment integrated into the bed and the Crew Cab's version featuring storage compartments built into the cabin floor. These trucks also feature coil suspension instead of the traditional leaf spring system used by Dodge's competitors.

Under the Hood

Cummins 5.9- and 6.7-liter diesel engines remain popular for Dodges used for workhorse duty, but more causal truck owners prefer the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, which generates 390 horsepower and 407 foot-pounds of torque. The Hemi's Multi Displacement System shuts down some cylinders under certain conditions as a fuel economy measure.

Industry Firsts

Chrysler has always led the automotive industry in technological advances, most notably perfecting the Hemi, but it also sought to give Dodge trucks an edge over its competitors with larger payloads, ranging from 1,889 to 4,900 lbs., and more cab room. It also was the first to provide as standard equipment a driver airbag, four-wheel anti-lock brakes and a 300-horsepower V-10 Magnum engine.

References

• More Dodge truck details
• Market share information
• Dodge market share data