Ram's stylish and sophisticated new pickup
The 2019 Ram 1500 is the most high-tech, luxurious and largest half-ton pickup the brand has ever made. FoxNews.com Automotive Editor Gary Gastelu talked to Ram brand boss Jim Morrison and interior designer Ryan Nagode about the features they hope will help set it apart.
Ram is going retro.
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The truck brand has turned a 1968 Dodge D200 Camper Special pickup into a diesel-powered Lowliner that will be on display at the upcoming SEMA auto show in Las Vegas.
THE 2020 RAM 1500 ECODIESEL CAN TOW 6 TONS AND GETS 32 MPG
Ram head designer Joe Dehner said he wanted to create something for the Mopar parts display that represented a build someone could realistically reproduce.
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The team purchased the donor truck from a private owner and Dehner said it had a couple of dents but was mostly rust-free.
Along with restoring the body, the team fully-boxed the truck’s frame and installed a front-opening hood to better show off the modern 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engine it chose to power the rear-wheel-drive truck through a six-speed manual transmission.
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The front axle was moved forward three inches and the door handles, chrome and logos removed to give the two-door a long, sleek profile.
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An air suspension system, like the one available on the latest Ram 1500 pickups, lets the truck do limbo for style or rise up to increase the ride height for the road. It rides on 22-inch billet aluminum wheels designed to look like steelies and wears a candy red and cream color combination.
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Ram retained the original bench seat but reupholstered it in distressed leather, which is also featured on the doors, sunvisors and headliner. A machined aluminum instrument panel and translucent red shift knob with metal flake and a vintage Cummins logo complete the look.
The Lowrider will be on display at the industry-only event Nov. 5-9.