Dodge also claims to have improved ride and handling in the '06 Ram, an attribute in which most pickups are found to be
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| The big story with the new Ram 1500 is the introduction of the MDS-equipped 5.7-litre HEMI V8 engine. Mike Donoughe - Vice President - Body on frame Product Team, Chrysler Group, left, and Darryl Jackson - Vice-President, Dodge Marketing, Chrysler Group, pose with the new truck. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
sorely lacking. Without compromising durability, the company's engineers have selected a new double wishbone front suspension with coil-over shock absorbers, and a Hotchkiss-design rear suspension with leaf springs. This new layout, in addition to retuned springs and dampers, will help Dodge create more consistent ride and handling characteristics, whether the truck is empty, or at its 3,084 kg (6,800 lb) Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Tweaked bushings, 'jounce' bumpers are said to help reduce axle hop and bouncy ride when the truck is unloaded. New gears on the Ram's power rack and pinion steering system deliver a firmer, more progressive feel for improved response and greater predictability.
The big story with the new Ram 1500, however, is the introduction of the MDS-equipped 5.7-litre HEMI V8 engine. MDS technology, currently used in Chrysler's 300C, Dodge's Charger and Magnum RT, plus the new HEMI-equipped Jeep Grand Cherokee, works away behind the scenes delivering the same smooth, quiet, and powerful
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| MDS technology is currently used in Chrysler's 300C, Dodge's Charger and Magnum RT, plus the new HEMI-equipped Jeep Grand Cherokee. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
indulgence Ram owners have come to appreciate since the engine was first offered in 2003 heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 Rams. The engine, in 2006 trim, produces 345-horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to reestablish it as the class leader in terms of power, and the world's first pickup truck to feature cylinder-deactivation technology. MDS, short for Multi Displacement System, seamlessly deactivates four of the engine's eight cylinders when under light loads in just 40 milliseconds, in order to reduce fuel consumption. Dodge claims that, without changing one's driving style, MDS can add 20 percent fuel economy gains which means savings in your pocket, and looking at it globally, an expected fuel savings of 227 million litres (60 million gallons) by the end of 2007.
