Ram Touts Its Luxury Diesel Leadership with a 2022 Ram 1500 Limited 10th Anniversary Edition.

It's hard to believe, but we're already beginning to see announcements for the cars and trucks of 2022. Ten years ago Ram sought to position itself as a leader in the luxury pickup truck category. Their track record show that their efforts were not in vain. This week Ram unveiled its new 2022 Ram 150 Limited 10th Anniversary Edition. 

It's not just Ram thumping its chest and saying, "Look at what we've done." If you've been paying attention, the leading journalists in our industry have showered accolades on this half-ton pickup and the legacy it has been building.

Last year, Car and Driver declared that "the Ram 1500 isn't the best pickup truck because it has the most 'best-in-class' accolades but because it raises expectations for the entire breed." Others expressed similar sentiments.

The 2022, the Dutch multinational automotive company Stellantis declares, raises the benchmark on what a luxury pickup can be. "The new 2022 Ram 1500 Limited 10th Anniversary Edition celebrates 10 years of luxury pickup truck leadership, featuring the ultimate combination of capability, luxury and refinement," said Mike Koval Jr., Ram Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis.

Every brand takes great pains to stake out a niche for each of its product offerings. The Ram 1500 Limited debuted in 2012 with regal aims, especially with its interior space where it used real wood, leather and metal trim. Today this tradition continues with quilted leather-wrapped seats and door inserts, plus a suede headliner.

For engine options, there's a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with eTorque mild-hybrid assist, or the 3.0 EcoDiesel engine. For fuel economy, the EcoDiesel has the best numbers with an EPA rating of 22/32 city/highway. 

Ram Trucks became a stand alone division of its own in 2009. Their hard-working lineup includes the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab, ProMaster and ProMaster City.

The Ram press release highlights a long string of achievements that they are proud of. Here's a portion of that list, in case you missed it. 

• 1,075 lb.-ft. of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Towing capacity of 37,100 lbs. with Ram 3500
• Segment first 1,000 lb.-ft of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Payload of 7,680 lbs. with Ram 3500
• Most luxurious: Ram Limited with real wood, real leather and 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen
• Best ride and handling with exclusive link coil rear and auto-level air suspensions
• Most interior space with Ram Mega Cab
• Most capable full-size off-road pickup – Ram Power Wagon
• Ram 1500, America's most powerful half-ton diesel pickup with 480 lb.-ft. of torque, achieves an unsurpassed 33 mpg highway and delivers up to 1,000 miles of range on a single tank of fuel
• Ram 1500 TRX is the quickest, fastest and most powerful mass-produced pickup truck in the world
• Most awarded light-duty truck in America
• Highest owner loyalty of any half-ton pickup
• Over the last 30 years, Ram has the highest percentage of pickups still on the road

Links of Interest

The Press Release at PR Newswire

The Automoblog story with tons of photos, plus pricing and availability info

 

Two Diesel Stories About Ram Fuel Efficiency and the 2021 EcoDiesels

Last week CNET published a story about a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE that gets 33 miles per gallon on the highway. That is an eye-opening number, especially when compared to the gas guzzlers we used to drive in the 60s and 70s. My '72 Ford only got 12 mpg if I remember correctly. 

The story by Antuan Goodwin, reviews editor for Roadshow, begins by comparing the two ends of the 2021 Ram 1500 spectrum.

At one end of the 2021 Ram trucks lineup is the 1500 TRX, a 702-horsepower beast that guzzles fuel like the apex predator that it is. At the other end of the spectrum, however, is the newly announced Ram 1500 Tradesman HFE EcoDiesel. Returning an estimated 33 highway miles per gallon, it's currently the most fuel-efficient member of the 1500 family, beating even the automaker's eTorque mild-hybrid models.

The target buyer appears to be building contractors.

The Goodwin piece details very specific comparisons between the different Ram offerings, giving high marks to the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 for not only its fuel efficiency but also its 480 pound-feet of torque that enables it to tow more than 6 tons of mass.

After celebrating the features of the Ram HFE EcoDiesel, the author takes a detour to remind us that the Chev 2021 Silverado matches the same 33 mpg as the most fuel efficient Ram, and the Ford F-150 with its PowerStroke isn't far behind.

MEANWHILE, Motor Trend's story on these trucks has a similar take, though less flattering to the Ford in this round of comparisons.

Greg Fink's account of these mid-sized offerings was also published on February 10, as if the automakers wanted a coordinated release for the info these media channels were permitted. The Motor Trend piece is embroidered with the same amount  of detail about engines, fuel economy, power output and the like, but sums up the real difference with this comparison:

While the HFE EcoDiesel may not fit as much junk in its cargo box as the regular HFE, it does offer a more comfortable rear-seating space and can travel further on a gallon of fuel.

Before drawing to a close, Fink suggests that the benefits of the EcoDiesel's fuel economy may not be that noteworthy when compared to the cost of diesel fuel vs. gasoline right now.  

Here are links to the two articles. Both are rich with detail and have insights that will help you make your own decision if you're looking for a 2021 at this time.

2021 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE sips fuel at 33 higway mpg
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-ram-1500-ecodiesel-hfe-33-higway-mpg/

Special 2021 Ram 1500 Diesel Model Dominates F-150 for Top MPG, Ties Chevy

The 33-mpg Ram and the F-150 aren't even close, but GM's diesels are right there.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2021-ram-1500-hfe-ecodiesel-price/