Although the Ram trucks have changed a great deal since the brand was first founded in 1981, Ram has stayed committed to its vision of making great vehicles for working people.
Although the first Ram truck was not created until 1981, Chrysler, Ram's parent company, had been making trucks under the Fargo brand name since the late 1920's. In the Second World War, they produced over 400,000 All-Wheel Drive trucks and ambulances. After the war, Dodge adapted this truck into a heavy duty civilian truck that became known as the Power Wagon. The because the Power Wagon was strong and sturdy, it could be used for almost anything,which made it very popular with farmers and working people. In the 1960's and 70's, the heavy duty truck market started to shrink, and Dodge trucks became more luxurious and less work oriented. So when the first Dodge Ram truck was designed in 1981, it more closely resembled these trucks than the ones we know today.
The Evolution of the Ram Truck
The first generation Dodge Ram did not do very well in it first few years on the market. To start, the truck's cab and chassis design was far behind the times. In addition, the default engine was not very powerful and Dodge didn't offer any great alternatives. What ultimately saved the Ram brand from failure was the the introduction of the Cummins B-series diesel engine. This new engine offered something that Ford and GM trucks couldn't, direct fuel injection, which meant you didn't have to wait for the glow plugs to warm up when you started it.
The Second Generation 1993-2001
The Ram Truck of the 1990's was largely the same mechanically, but the exterior was completely re imagined. Dissatisfied with the flat and angular style of trucks that had become the norm, the designers of the new Ram took inspiration from large rounded front ends of older Studebakers and Big Rigs and blended this style with the contemporary flat angular style. The truck was a great success, sales jumped significantly and in 1994 the Ram 1500 won truck of the year.
The Third Generation 2001-2009
For the 2000's, Dodge made some changes both inside and out, making improvements to the drive train, offering a wide array of cab options and making the truck stockier than it was in the 1990's. In the cabin, the dashboard was brought into the 21st Century with bluetooth and built-in navigation and the Mega-cab option was created, which was big enough to allow for six reclinable seats. The 2000's were also characterized by a surplus of special edition Ram trucks including the Power Wagon, a failed hybrid prototype and the SRT 10, which used the same V10 engine as the Dodge Viper.
The Fourth Generation 2009-2018
The Fourth generation Ram Truck was the first generation of Ram trucks to be sold entirely independent of the Dodge brand. The trucks appearance was very similar to the 2000's Ram, but the big-rig inspired front-end was made even larger and more impressive. The engine options available were more powerful and offered a higher towing capacity than in previous years. But with growing concerns over climate change and rising gas prices, Ram began offering engine options including the High Fuel Efficiency Model(HFE) which got up to 25mpg and the Ecodiesel which reached 27mpg.
The Modern Ram Truck 2019-
The most recent version of the Ram 1500 released in 2019 is just as large and impressive as that of the 2010's, but Ram has finally said goodbye to the traditional cross-shaped grill. Under the hood, the engineers focused on making the Ram even more efficient, using a supplemental electric motor and lighter chassis meaning the standard 1500 offers up to 26mpg and Eco-diesel models can reach up to 32mpg. Although you might think that this improved efficiency might impact towing capacity, the Ram 1500 ranks 2nd among full-size pickups. On the inside, the cabin has been upgraded to be even more comfortable and practical, with a large center console and in some models, heated and cooled rear seats. With Ram's balance of luxury car comfort and heavy-duty performance, it's no surprise Ram trucks have been Motor Trend Truck of the Year for 2019 and 2020.