Dodge has long been a company heavily associated with performance cars and, only slightly more recently, one associated with multi-purpose trucks. The Dodge Ram line of full-sized pickup trucks has been a staple for truck fans and businesses since 1980 and has only continued to expand and become more popular since then. One of the most popular iterations of the medium-duty version is the Dodge Power Wagon 2500.
The Power Wagon has been stealing pickup lovers' hearts since 1945 and really hit a peak in performance and beauty with the 2021 Ram 2500 Power Wagon 75th Anniversary Edition. According to Dodge, the special edition of the truck is designed for off-road use and performance. The automaker also focused on design and beauty with a heritage color interior.
Although it will be hard for Dodge to upscale from there, the 2022 Power Wagon promises to live up to those standards and more by keeping many of the favorite aspects of the limited edition version.
Let’s take a closer look at what we know so far about the 2022 Dodge Ram Power Wagon.
A Brief History Of The Power Wagon
The Dodge Power Wagon has a long history going all the way back to its inception in 1945. It was produced with various trims packages up until 1981 when Dodge cut it from their lineup. Although they discontinued the nameplate “Power Wagon,” it was replaced at that point by the title “Power Ram” until 1994 before being fully revived in 2005.
Originally, the Power Wagon was an iteration of the 3/4 ton series of trucks created for military use in World War II. Adapted for civilian use, the trucks from this time frame (1945-1957) are also commonly known as “FFPW” (Flat fender power wagon), T137s (the original engineering code), or “Military Type” Power Wagons. They were the first 4x4 medium-duty trucks produced for civilian use.
They became the predecessor in design to many of the 4x4 trucks that came after, including many still being manufactured today. Once Chrysler took over and began manufacturing the Dodge brand, the Power Wagon expanded into worldwide and overseas sales under other brand badges, including “Fargo” and “De Soto,” to increase appeal in other markets.
From 1957 through 1981, the Power Wagon trucks were manufactured with a stylized cab and sheet metal body. They were marketed with two weight classes- the one tone W300 light duty and the two-ton chassis, and cab only, W500 until 1972. In 1972, the W500 was replaced with the upgraded W600, also cab and chassis only. In 1977, all medium-duty models stopped being produced, and only cab and chassis models were put out in the form of the new W400.
In 1981, the decision was made to switch to the “Power Ram”' nameplate and retire the “Power Wagon” title. Although Dodge left the name dead until its revival in 2005, the spirit of the Power Wagon lived on in the Power Ram, which was made with an optional six cylinder Cummins Turbo-Diesel from 1989 through 1993.
In 2005, Dodge revived the Power Wagon name by gifting it to a version of the Dodge Ram 2500. The name came to represent special features, and higher performance as the 2005 version was a special edition of the Ram that included off-road features and a 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The special features continued to evolve from that point, along with new options in cab and bed length.
What’s Coming In The 2022 Dodge Power Wagon
The Dodge Power Wagon has continued to include special features in both design and function that have been upgraded with each new model year. Historically, Power Wagons have included larger wheels, better shocks, bigger engine and powertrain options, and higher ride height/clearance.
The 2022 Dodge Power Wagon is likely to include all of these same features and to take on many of the features and design concepts seen in the 2021 75th Anniversary Edition from last year. According to some dealer sources, the package will be called “Level 3” and include many of the upgrades from the special edition.
Some of these features include upgraded designs, 17-inch bead-lock enabled wheels, and rock rails.
The upscale feel of the prior year also included power-folding side mirrors with auto adjustment memory, reverse lamps, power-adjustable seat sections, and auxiliary sections, and automatic high beam headlights. Although there has been no official word if all of these features will carry over, they were very popular on the 2021 model, which makes it more likely on the 2022 edition.
Another great feature likely to remain in the 2022 model is the jail-bar grille featured on the 2021 Anniversary Edition. The change to this grille is a more interesting aesthetic feature that has “RAM” in prominent silver rather than blacked-out as in previous editions. The headlights will also likely be LED rather than the blacked-out ones offered on other models, actually a step away from the 2021 Anniversary Edition.
According to Dodge dealers, the 2022 will have the same engine as the previous model, a powerful 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that offers an astounding amount of power with 410 HP. It will also keep the prior years’ 4x4 drive system and 8-speed transmission. It will also likely maintain the power-adjustable pedals.
The interior of the 2022 model will likely be updated in order to keep up with the continuous rivalry between Ford Super Duty models. In past models, the Power Wagon came standard with a 12-inch display, leather upholstery with seating for five, 360-degree cameras, heated seats and steering wheels, and premium sound systems by Harman Kardon.
The 2022 Power Wagon is projected to be available for purchase towards the end of 2021 and costs around $55,000 for the heavy-duty off-road (level 3) package. This is a few thousand dollars more than the standard Ram 2500, which suggests many of the listed features will be included, however, Dodge has not yet released all official details. To know more for sure, we will have to wait until official word, which is likely to come in the next few months.