For what the option costs you'd expect no less...

atleast you can burn up the roads now with a ram runner good job now if you can lower the cost of the kit lol 20 some grand i think it is thats another truck lol

"If there’s enough demand from off-road enthusiasts, Gorlier said Chrysler is also considering offering the Ram Runner as a Ram 1500 model straight from the factory, similar to the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor."

I see where you got the your idea.

@ilikemayo

And proof to back that up? Ram shows a badass off-road truck, and then we have this troll going yawn.

Ford still gets credit for offering a pre-runner type truck straight from the factory. Still, it's good to see the Mopar guys have something similar, even if it is in kit form. I am more interested in the Ram 5500 roll-back transporter under that Ram Runner to be honest.

@Big Bob,

This truck is bad-a$$. We are only missing one element.

GM??

lol, Where do ya suppose the inspiration from this came from?

I wonder if they're going to upgrade the other essential components and add the electronics package too.

I wonder who will cover liability if some back yard mechanic throws one of these together and something lets go because it wasn't assembled right and gets into a MVC?

Like Huck BB62 pointed out - what about electronics and other associated hardware?

I wonder what a factory assembled truck will cost?
Exerpt:
"The grand total for the entire package with the Stage 2 suspension? $20,659 plus installation fees if your local Mopar shop does the work. Of course, a Ram 1500 has to be purchased separately."
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/01/mopar-ram-runner-off-road-kit-pricing-and-availability-announced.html#more

Does anyone have an idea as to how many hours it would take to do the whole truck including body work and paint?

It will be interesting to see how this Ram Runner kit compares to the F-150 Raptor. If I were to invest my money into a desert runner I would go with the Raptor because it comes from the factory as it is and because of all the great reviews of the truck already. Still can't wait to see how people like the Ram Runners performance. I think the Raptor also looks a lot better. The Ram Runner looks a little "fat" to me. I'm not sure about the rest of you PUTC fans but I am still very interested in Chevy's Off-Road concept. It would fit my life style a little better than a desert runner.

But with all that said I have to say I am EXTREMELY happy to see more manufactures paying more attention to those of us who enjoy Off-Roading and hope to see more great things for the Off-Road enthusiast to come in the future. Thanks you Ford, GM, and Ram.

I own an online magazine dedicated to Prerunners and this kit is outrageously priced. This is what happens when you get aftermarket parts installed by a dealer.

I hope this article does not mislead its readers with the use of the phrase trophy truck. Do not think for a minute that putting this kit on your Dodge will give you a Trophy Truck.

Kent Kroeker makes a good kit and is respected in the off-road racing industry and even he knows it is not a Trophy Truck.

There is a reason Trophy Trucks cost $500k to build.
For the money you are better off buying a Raptor.

Reply to @Josh comment
Really the GMC Sierra concept is not in the same league as either of these trucks. It is a tow vehicle, not a Prerunner, but if that is what you need then go for it. It will be. A bad as$ tow truck.

@Big Bob,

"Ford still gets credit for offering a pre-runner type truck straight from the factory."

Toyota Tacoma had a pre-runner option back in the 1990's, Ivan Stewart inspired that is still sold as an option today!

It's a 2wd that looks like the 4wd except the front axle is gutted and removed and no front driveshaft. You get the ground clearance and looks of the 4wd without the front drive.

I built up an old 85 Toyota 2wd once and that was a lot of work where it was easier to take my old 86 Toyota 4wd and gut the front (save a few hundred pounds) and get the part number for the Tacoma wheel bearing cap to seal the front bearings since no axle shaft is there and you get one solid 2wd with massive travel and ground clearance.

Pre-runners in the old school sense are typically 2wd's and not 4wd's from the desert community!

@Adem,

+1

"Toyota Tacoma had a pre-runner option back in the 1990's, Ivan Stewart inspired that is still sold as an option today!" -oxi

Datsun had a Desert Runner Edition of the Hardbody back in the late 1980's.

Ford, in 1971-1975, had a Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco. Not a truck, but a prerunner/Baja inspired 4X4.

Yeah, and Joe Isuzu brought us the Big Joe! None of these "pre-runners" are anywhere close to what Ford, and now Mopar, are bringing to the party...

So around $40k+ for a Ram Sport (more if you add options), $20,659K for parts, install and labor $7k?, tax $4k, Grand Total: $71659K. And up. What a bargain!!!

And you'll still need to add tires, wheels?, and e-locker, what else?, So what's that? Another $5k? Now you are approaching $80,000.00.

Good work Ram, making this conversion street-legal!

I hope that there is a big demand for the Ram Runner so that Ram will make it a regular production option from the factory. Drive it from the dealership to the desert. Like the Ford F-150 S.V.T. Raptor.

I suspect that if you had to pay for the build, it would cost almost as much as the 100K Raptor R.
I wonder what a Hennessy VelociRaptor costs?

Hope they can get the 4wheel drive to engage. My 5 mo. old Ram has been to the dealer 3 times and still the service 4WD light shines brightly.

@ mikeL do you think if they make this available at off the showroom like the raptor that would bring the price down or would that still be the same, and is gm or ford doing anything new at the chi auto show.

@bobsled80: There's a chance it could be offered like the Raptor. My guess is that would bring the price down vs. the kit -- but that's just my personal hunch. GM and Ford didn't discuss anything new at the Chicago Auto Show.

"Hope they can get the 4wheel drive to engage. My 5 mo. old Ram has been to the dealer 3 times and still the service 4WD light shines brightly." -p.o.'d

My 5 year old Ram shifts into 4 Wheel Drive just fine. Sorry you are having trouble.

Good picture at the top of the page. I've seen that picture a lot with Dodge... ;)

dear ford,
i no longer want a raptor ill just get a ram runner.

@Ken

"Yeah, and Joe Isuzu brought us the Big Joe! None of these "pre-runners" are anywhere close to what Ford, and now Mopar, are bringing to the party..."

Have you looked at the sticker price?

You can build an older model far cheaper and more capable!

First, this is not a trophy truck!

Second, the price is ridiculous for what you get. You'd have to be a moron to buy this when you can build one on your own the way you want it for much less.

Third, I like a simple truck like the Tacoma. There isn't any extra crap you find on today's full-size trucks that you don't need!

Here is a clue: Half the people today don't know how to read a map, I carry a 50 state atlas in my truck, and heated steering wheels are g#y!

@Ed

Have you even been off-road before?

Full size trucks are not meant to be off-road. You can get a Tacoma for less than half the price.

Just keep the full size trucks on the road towing trailers where they belong! I'm sure some of you dreamers won't be able to afford this but will buy a 4x4 "offroad" truck and put 20" wheels on it. What a joke.

It's not about the RAM not being awesome its the cost. Why would you buy the truck twice when you could just get a awesome Raptor. Again cool idea it just needs some work.

The price is amazing. I could buy a Raptor with every possible option added, and still buy another F150 as a daily commuter with the same money it would take to build this Ram.

The price is very fair to me. As far as the Raptor goes, it can do everything the Raptor can do and do it better!

I had a chance to speak with Keith Montone, Off Road Engineering Manager for Mopar Performance and he explained to me that when they designed the Ram Runner, their goal was to create something that a Ram owner with a handful of mechanical experience could build in his driveway. No portion of the Ram Runner takes any special tools, although some body-work experience will be helpful when removing the metal fenders/bedsides and installing he fiberglass units. Everything else is literally bolt on and once the package components are installed and the owner selects the wheels and tires that best fit his or her need, you will have a Ram that is capable of doing anything that any Raptor can do...and the Ram Runner can do it better.

http://www.dodgeforum.com/articles/2011/01/the-2011-mopar-ram-runner.html

One nice thing with the Ram Runner is that you can purchase it altogether or as individual components. Say that you already have a massive suspension package on your Ram Quad Cab but you want the look of the Ram Runner - you can purchase just the hood, bumper, fenders, bedsides and tire rack and have the look of the Ram Runner "show truck" with your own suspension setup. Or, if you don't need the incredible capabilities of the $13,000 suspension package but you do some offroading and you want the extra wheelwelll room for a big set up mud tires to avoid local laws that prevent tires from extending past the fender edges.

The Mopar Ram Runner package will be available from Mopar.com soon and with any luck, this package will see incredible success; leading to a more production friendly version to help the Ram keep up with Ford's SVT Raptor.

Finally, the biggest change as the 2011 Ram 1500 Quad Cab becomes the Mopar Ram Runner is a purpose-built off-road suspension with help from BDS and Fox Racing that gives this street legal trophy truck more off-road capabilities than any truck on the road - including Ford's SVT Raptor F150.

The only items shown in the picture not included in the Mopar Ram Runner package are the wheels and tires and the interior roll cage.

I suspect that a few dealers will spec build some of these and put them on the showroom floor. I believe that they'll be a day late and a few dollars over though as a lot of the people who can afford this kind of truck will have satiated their truck desire with the Raptor. The Raptor isn't cobbled together, it's been tested as an entire build. But, a diehard Ram guy has a great opportunity here though that didn't exist before. At least Ram is going the extra mile to get this into their customer's hands.

The Ram does look like what it is, a cobbled together runner. It looks a little unfinished and to me, therefore far overpriced for what you get. One of these second hand will be a great deal.

Better than the Raptor? We'll talk about that when it wins it's class in the Dakar.

@Lou: The "Stage 1" kit is available through Kore without the Mopar markup for only $1800. The stage 2 kit will probably go for under $10k based off of Kore's other offerings if you buy it direct and not through Mopar. $10k for 4 fiberglass fenders and paint is a stretch too.

At the end of the day if you want a turn key offroad vehicle to drive to the grocery store the Raptor is for you. If you are actually serious about building a chase vehicle or pre-runner the Ram Runner out performs the Raptor every where that counts, including cost because nobody would be dumb enough to start with a $40,000 Sport model as their base to thrash in the desert, you'd buy a stripped SLT or ST.

@Chd - Where exactly does would the Mopar out perform the Raptor?

The model used in the picture above and all of the displays and ads is a Sport. Not exactly a top of the line model. It has cloth interior. I don't expect someone to invest in this truck and buy a stripped down truck - they can also be used on the street. If you want a SLT they start at $36,000 and go up with options. ST is a couple grand less. Not much of a difference Buy the hardware for more than half off? I'll believe it when I see it.

The comments that the ram runner out performs the raptor are kind of funny. Has anyone even compared the two, oh thats right the ram runner isnt available yet. It may become better but to say right no it is doesnt make alot of sense. Like saying the gmc concept is better than the raptor when its not even close to sale.

Lou, 100k? How exactly did you come up with your price?

Awesome....

@ Ram man -
exerpt:
"The grand total for the entire package with the Stage 2 suspension? $20,659 plus installation fees if your local Mopar shop does the work. Of course, a Ram 1500 has to be purchased separately."
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/01/mopar-ram-runner-off-road-kit-pricing-and-availability-announced.html#more

A new Ram truck is 40,000 approx.
The stage 2 kit through Ram is over 20,000. Price out tires, wheels, paint and body work, e-locker and other assorted items to build it up to what you see in the pictures - I'd bet you'd be close to 100, 000.
Feel free to look up all the components you still will need beyond the kit and truck, add paint, body work, tires wheels ,labor (dealership rates) and other stuff you'd need.
Post it for all of us to see.
I'd love to see a cost breakdown.
Prove me wrong or right - or I guess you can just bash me for my comment and not do anything else.

@Lou,

The Ram Runner package gives the consumer more choices..

You dont have to buy all of the suspension upgrades all at once,great to have factory engineered racing parts the average Joe can buy and put on himself as time goes on,instead of buying a $50,000 Raptor.

You dont have to buy a brand new truck or a upper models Sport/Laramie

With Chrysler's new lower pricing,You can now buy a new QuadCab 4x4 HEMI Ram for in the mid-low $20,000 range .A dealer here has a new one for $24999 add $20,000 for the complete package and it is the same price of a regular cab new Raptor..As most 4 door Raptors are $50,000+.Though it is nice just to go to the dealer and buy a whole package if you have the cash up front or Raptor if you are not a do it yourself guy.

Many people will buy a 4x Ram,and maybe one year buy a part of the Ram Runner package and install when he has the available cash,buy another updraded part..Unlike the Ford its all up front or nothing..This leaves for many options,buy a 09 Ram and get the whole package,even done by the dealer for cheaper than a Raptor or buy a new Ram and build it bit by bit,that most people will do ect..

It's great for companies to offer packages like this,heck I bought a new 440 Magnum engine (same engine as my orig 69 440)from Mopar Performance for my 69 Charger 2 years ago,its great Mopar makes its old engines and parts again for people,and also makes new parts and custom parts for people who want to restore old rides,improve new rides..

I would love a RamRunner with a Mopar crate Motor HEMI !!

@small vehicles suck said... A dealer here has a new one for $24999 add $20,000 for the complete package and it is the same price of a regular cab new Raptor..As most 4 door Raptors are $50,000+.
Big difference is not only has the Raptor been seriously tested (as we've all read) but as a truck it's all warrantied. Can the same be said for the Ram with the add on package?

Raptors that are 50k+ are fully maxed with every option including Nav. You want to compare a stripped down base truck to that? The full MSRP for a Raptor starts at $41550. And when you're done with your Ram build, you still have a lot of $ to add for minor things like wheels and tires.
I do like the concept, and it does offer some flexibilty for those who want to pay as they go. So does the Rent to Own concept but it doesn't make that better, just more costly in the end.

glad they did this, it wouldnt have sold at all without being street legal

If there were anything worth mentioning in these comments, it's just proof that even if Ford happens to be more popular, nothing can justify the sheer amount of ignorance these misguided brand-biased hicks have depicted here or in a general consensus. Dodge trucks have ALWAYS been more expensive than Ford trucks and the Raptor is no exception, hence Ford's popularity among average joes and in the Raptor/Runner instance, people who can't practically fabricate their own parts whatsoever. This is all for convenient nature and it's no surprise that Ford attempted this first, but if you fictitious business majors could understand how competition works in the auto industry you would be a lot more tolerant and perhaps grateful that the Ram Runner will be available even if its more expensive. Look at it this way: if you found the off-road kit dumbfounding in price from the factory, you would, ideally, already know people who build these trucks for a living. Otherwise, you're just someone who wants to believe their opinion is as influential to the world as your preference is in reading your own shallow words. For the record, I'm an real enthusiast that has seen plenty of awesome Dodge, Chevrolet and Ford trucks, but since this is a Ram article, I love their design from the same notorious body lines they've used for the past 15 years to their admirable Chrysler Magnum and HEMI engines.

Another note: The street-legal dilemma shouldn't have EVER been a big deal. You don't need this truck on this street anyway. Amid the suspension benefits, there isn't anything worth financing if money is that much an issue to you guys.

Dodge, eh Ram, needs to just build it complete and just start with their base trucks to go along with the tradesman pricing (the super bee of trucks)

The moment this truck was released as a concept at Moab - it was considered a direct competitive shot at the Raptor.
If one is therefore to compare it to the Rapter - it must be an apples to apples comparison.
Sure, you can buy a plain Jane truck and get these parts elsewhere fore cheeper than through Dodge, and yes you can build it yourself - but that no longer is a direct comparison.
For a dirct comparison:
1. comparable trim level truck = laramie 50,000
2. Full kit from Chrysler as they are promoting it = 20,000
3. Tires and wheels ( not Walmart specials) = 4,000
4. E-locker = 1,000
5. Electronic engine and tranny modifications, paint, bodywork and Dealer labor= 10,000
You are pushing 85,000 .
Kiss warranty goodbye.

I hope that this kit forces Ford to offer the Raptor package as a separate package that can be added to any trim level truck.
I'd also like to see Ram offer this as a Ram Runner" package on any trim level of Ram.
I like the fact that Ram is showing some balls and taking on the competition.
You read the comments on this site and most Ford guys see Ram as their 2nd choice in pickups.
Competition is good. Currently, i see Ram as the only direct competitor with Ford.
They are #2 in HD sales.
I'd love to see them gain market share in the 1/2 ton ranks.
they do have the best looking truck.