RAM Trucks Australia is expanding its 1500 pickup range with the introduction of the 1500 Express Crew V8. It sits above the current Quad lineup, and comes with more features while sporting an expressive appearance.
The 1500 Express Crew is labelled as a “full-size” pickup, with the larger cabin that’s also seen in the Laramie. RAM promises more headroom and legroom than any other five-seat ute on the market today. There’s also a 5-foot, 7-inch tub in the back to ensure it still offers ample loading space, and it can be optioned with the nifty RamBox storage buckets.
You might notice the somewhat sinister exterior design for the new variant. Highlights include a Sports Hood (American speak for bonnet) with intake vents, black accents such as badges, side mirrors, door handles and front grille pieces, and dark grey alloy wheels.
Inside, passengers are treated to the updated 8.4-inch touch-screen media interface that offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. There’s also plenty of in-built apps, and passengers are kept comfortable with dual-zone climate control.
As for the meaty chunk under the bonnet. There lies the 5.7-litre naturally aspirated HEMI V8. It churns out 291kW and 556Nm, making it the most powerful dual-cab ute officially on the local market. It helps out with the maximum towing capacity of 4500kg (braked), while we’ve timed 0-100km/h in a very respectable 7.32 seconds in the base Express V8 model.
RAM is enjoying a healthy increase in popularity in Australia. During 2019 it sold 2868 vehicles, up an incredible 296.7 per cent on 2018 efforts. This new variant, which slots between the 1500 Express Quad and the 1500 Laramie, should help the pickup reach a broader market and perpetuate sales. Jeff Barber, national sales manager at RAM Trucks Australia, said:
“We’ve assessed the market and feel the time is right to build on the huge levels of passion for the RAM Trucks brand in Australia. The 1500 Express Crew allows us to grow our product portfolio and offer a premium version of our entry level Express range. It also marks the first step in what will be an exciting product roll-out in 2020.”
The RAM 1500 Express Crew V8 is on sale now priced from $89,950 (excluding on-road costs). It’s available in limited edition colours – Bright White, Diamond Black, Flame Red, Granite Crystal – and comes backed by RAM’s three-year/100,000km warranty.
