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2, 1993 —- N

orth Shore News - 35

eT

THE NEW Dodge Ram full-sized pickup stands out with its mini-big-rig styling. Other innovative features include the roomiest cabin in its class and an availabla. 300-

horsepower V10 engine.

Aggressive, unusual styling harks back

Greg
Wilson

TEST DRIVE

WITH SO many look-alike
vehicles on the road these
days, it’s refreshing to find
one that really stands out
from ihe crowd.

The new full-sized Dodee Ran:
pickup, with its raised enyiue
compartment, big chrome grille,
and low front fenders, resembles a
scaled-down Kenworth,

The aggressive, unusual styling
harks back to traditional pickup
designs of the “40s and ‘30s — not

coincidentally, the famous 1940s,
Dodge Power Wagon.

It's certainly an eye-catcher,
and apparently, that's the way
Chrysler wanted it, Chrysler's
design chief, Tom Gale, decided it

yas better to be noticed than to be
another ‘me-too’ design.

As dramatic as the new styling
is, itis not the most important
new aspect of this torly
redesigned truck.

The new Dodge Rain is avail-
able with six engine options in-
cluding an available 300-
horsepower VIO engine, the only
Vitdengine in the full-sized (ruck
segment.

The V10 has the most horse.
power and torque in its chiss
(300/450) and is sure to please
trailer-towers. Other available
powertrains are a 3.9-litre V6,
5.2-litre V8, two 5.9-litre V8
and the popular 5.9-litre Cum.
mins diesel turbo-diesel engine

The new Ram has the roontiest
cab in its chass with 10 em (4 in-
ches) tore fength than the com-
petitors’ regular cabs, (Extended
cab bodies are not yet available.)

Other unique interior features
include optional, 40/20/40-split
seats with a central armrest /
Storage bin complere. with
room for a cellular phone, laptop

i

computer, and notepad,

The Ram also has one of the
quietest cabins and best rides of
any full-sized pickup truck — a
conclusion | came to after 400
kilometres (248 miles) of on-road
and off-road driving.

The 4X4 model is the only big
4$X4 pickup in its chess with
front-link coil suspension,

Trucks have been slow to catch
up with safety features but the
new Ram takes care of that with
standard driver's-side airbag and
knee bolsters, available four-wheel
antidock brakes (most trucks have
only two-wheel systems), and
side-door vuard beams.

Like most pickup tricks, the
Ram is available in hall-ton,
three-quarter-ton, and dual-
wheeled one-ton designations with
rear-wheel drive only, or with
part-dime shift-on-the-fly four-
wheel drive.

There are numerous engine/
transmission, axte-ratio combina-
tions available for light-duty or
heavy-duty use. Trim levels are
designated WS (workshop), LT,
ST. and Laramie SLT,

The base price of the botiom-
of-the-ling WS model with a
175-horsepower 3.9-litre V6 is
just $14,625, a very good price for
a full-sized truck with so much

Price us tested $25,725
Base Pri

Type Two-door
passenger pickup (ruck
Layout) Longitudinal front
vngine/rear-wheel-drive/ part-
time four-wheel drive

Engine 5.2-litre OHV V8, two
valves per cylinder, sequential
multi-port fuel injection
Horsepower 220 @ 4,400 rpm
Torque 300° fi.-[bs. @ 3,200
rpin

Transmission Fivesspeed man-
ual/four-speed automatic with
OD lockout
Transfer

three-

case. | Two-specd/

interior room and important
safely features.

However, a virtual catalogue of
options brings the price of most
Ram trucks up into the $20,000 to
$27,000 range.

My test truck, for example, was
a half-ton 4X4 (1500 series) with a
$.2-litre V8 engine and eight-foot
bed, one of the most popular
combinations for general urban
and work use.

The base price is $20,585, and

shilt-on-the- fly

GVWR 2,963 kp/6,400 Ibs.
Payload 780 kp/1,725 Ibs.

Tires LT225/75R-16

Wheelbase 3,421 mm/134,7 in.
Length 5,697 min/224,3 in.
Width 1,991 mm/78.4 in,
Height 1,928 mm/75.9 in,

Fuel consumpsion n/a

Warranty One year/20,000 km
+ Powertrain seven years/
115,000 or Basic three years/
60,000 km

Inquire about the Dodge Ram
pickup truck at) Regency
Plymouth Chrysler, 1877
Marine Dr.,. North Vancouver,

in top-of-the-line Laramie SLT
trim, the tested price was $25,725.
The interior was truly spacious.
Three adults wearing cowboy hats
san sit comfortably abreast in this
cabin, though if you order a man-
ual tramsmission with floor
shifter, you're likely to get
more than a little friendly with the
middle passenger.
Controls are designed to be

See Built-in page 39