2012 Power Wagon Gets Upgrades and New Trim Levels
Ram Trucks will add the ST and Laramie models to its 2012 Power Wagon lineup, the company announced today at the Texas Auto Writers Association's Texas Truck Rodeo, just outside of San Antonio. The less expensive ST model offers all the Power Wagon’s functional capability at a more affordable price, while the Laramie model provides more comfort and luxury features to any Power Wagon before it.
Additionally, and new for the model year, is the addition of the RamBox side-storage system for wheelbases with the 6-foot-4-inch beds, as well as a new heavy-duty six-speed automatic transmission behind the Hemi. The new RamBox (previously only available on the shortbed Ram 1500) will likely make the Power Wagon quite popular with park rangers, forest service workers, and city municipalities. Both models will go on sale in December.
"Expanding the Power Wagon’s availability to ST and Laramie models is not only what our customers have asked for, but also a true measure of the truck’s success and popularity with truck buyers," said Fred Diaz, Ram’s CEO.
On the ST, which Ram says will appeal to owners who use trucks for daily off-road duty, the grille, bumpers, fender flares and mirrors are clad in black. The interior is mostly unchanged from the ST trim level. The Laramie gives owners leather seats, premium stereo, dual-zone climate control, and wood-grain dash and door panels. The package also includes body-colored fender flares and chrome mirrors, bumpers and grille.
The new Power Wagon ST starts at $41,625, the previously existing Power Wagon SLT starts at $45,565, and the Power Wagon Laramie starts at $51,000. Prices do not include a $995 destination charge.
The 2012 Power Wagon, which is based on the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty four-wheel-drive crew cab, is powered by a 383-horsepower, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 that makes 400 pounds-feet of torque. The truck’s features include 33-inch BFGoodrich all-terrains, a Warn 12,000-pound winch Bilstein shocks, underbody skid plates and a 4.56:1 axle ratio. The Power Wagon can tow up to 10,250 pounds with a Class IV hitch. The Power Wagon has 2.5 inches more ground clearance than a Ram 2500 HD. A driver-actuated electronic disconnecting stabilizer bar offers more wheel travel for tough trails.
The Power Wagon is considered to be one of the most capable 4x4s sold in the U.S. and now with the added storage of the RamBox, a much smarter, better-geared transmission, and more flexible pricing, we're guessing this will spread its appeal.
Comments
Love that beast of a truck!
LOOKS Mean!
I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
What happened to the 35s???
35s have never been offered on the Power Wagon from the factory; just the 285s. I love this truck, but cannot see paying that kind of a price for ANY truck. But that's just me.
add the mossy oak pkg!!! either way it looks like one hell of a truck!
Sweet looking truck.
My Bad!! Got it confused with the Raptor!
I'm not sure how the Ram Box will increase the truck's appeal to guys who will use it for work. Virtually every work truck I see has a headache rack and integrated box rail protectors. The fish and wildlife conservation patrol trucks also have winchs attached to the front of the headache rack. I guess you could build something to work around the Ram Box, but those kind of fleet trucka are price sensitive. Most prefer straight foreward bolt on accessories.
I do like the looks of the truck. It looks like they have ditched the "Simon and Simon" era graphics.
I would like to see a diesel in this truck. Great place for the "baby Cummins".
The best has gotten a little better. Still not enough though to get me thinking about trading my 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon.
Thank goodness they ditched the graphics and blacked-out lower body.
If Ram ever decides to drop in the 392 c.i. (6.4L) HEMI with an 8-speed transmission (or 6-speed manual again), that is when I will be trading in my baby.
Keep up the good work, Ram!
I can't understand why people think the Power Wagon is too expensive. Try bulding your own off road rig and it would be much more expensive. With the Power Wagon, you get some serious off road equipment AND FACTORY WARRANTY, kownig that people WILL use the truck off road!
Miki-
That is what people fail to understand. The Power Wagon package only costs about $6,000.00 above the cost of a standard Ram 2500 Crew Cab short bed 4X4 with the HEMI. PLUS, it still has a factory warranty. The whole reason why I bought one back in 2005.
To make a standard Ram 2500 4X4 as capable as a stock Power Wagon, with all of the goodies, you would have to spend around $10,000.00 in the aftermarket and kiss your warranty goodbye.
With those prices, I could buy 2 Tacoma's...
Even with my mods so far, I am no-where near the price of just one of those great Power Wagons and my capabilities keep getting better and better like more running ground clearance, better approach/departure/break-over angles, proper bumpers for serious off-roading, a spare tire carrier above the rear bumper height much easier to get too, better water fording, better skid plates, better retreival points...and soon 33's...
The Power Wagon is great but I could not pay that much for just a pickup that will get used and abused...
"the Power Wagon quite popular with park rangers, forest service workers, and city municipalities."
And what the hell do they need a close to $50,000 pickup for?
No wonder we have such massive budget problems!!!
I see our community with F-350's, they are nice but what the hell do they need such a massive pickup for when all they do is carry some tools/gear for the water dept. around town, big deal a Ford Ranger could do that...
Wasteful government spending at its best...
Also big Ford Econoline vans with 3/4 ton or 1 ton rears again for what? They could buy the Transit or something smaller to drive around town with to check meters or sewer manhole covers...
Everyone laughed at the Scion Xb but if you own a floral shop, what an ideal little vehicle to deliver flowers with.
With a city government's or state mentality, they would buy a 1 ton Econoline van if they ran the floral shop, that is how pathetic these government wackoes can be...
Budget cuts will force some badly needed changes in purchasing!
I see too many communities with such large pickups doing little with them, just driving around some city dude to do some inspections...
Man, those big ring gears have one design flaw:
They lack ground clearance!
This pickup needs some low-profile axles, those things could easily smuck a rock off-road and get damaged...
@ Buy American Or Say Bye To America!,
I hope the 392 will make its way into the truck line-up ! Most likely a 392 SRT will happen down the road in a Ram 1500,but I hope a 392 for all its line across the board,would be sweet.MotorWeek tested a Power Wagon a year or so ago and the heavy beast still did a 7 sec 0-60,that is very decent !! The passing power is where the Hemi really makes a difference !
I have NEVER been a dodge fan, but that is one sharp truck. I really like it in silver. I could only hope Ford did something like this. I just have that hesitation buying a Dodge. Maybe i should just test drive one, but that thing looks like it could do alot of things well. GMC All-Terrain HD is another promising looking truck.
Glad truck manufacturers are listening to what some people do with their trucks and offer Power Wagon / Raptor / All-terrain.
Honestly today, I don't even need any of the above, but once my training program ends, we will be getting a travel trailer and a boat again. Only downside with the Raptor is the tow rating.
Sharp Truck
the difference between a ford and doge the dodge look tough and is true,compare to ford look, big and cheap'''but people like the cheap truck. the new ford add.illusion of something big and strong..
I don't understand why yu can't get a Cummins in this truck? Anybody?
@Frank- like Crutch said, it's always come with 33's. 35's fit just fine, though. Take-off H2 tires work really well.
@mike805ford- That would be pretty sweet.
@Lou- Headache racks and whatnot can work just fine with the Ram Box. An integrated option appeals to some fleet buyers. As tall as the P/W is, the Ram Box is a lot easier to access than a traditional cross-over box. And if a quad still fits back there, its a home run.
@BAOSBTA- I do like the slightly shorter wheelbase of the previous gen P/Ws. Too bad almost no M/T trucks were ordered.
@Oxi- we know you don't understand what a turn-key solution means to operations like NFS.
UncleBud,
The axles with front and rear lockers won't hold up to the Cummins.
@Uncle Bud- another thing is the winch- it sits right where the intercooler goes. They could possibly torque-limit the Cummins while the front axle is locked in and use a slightly smaller rear gatio- 4.10, or even 3.73. In all there are just an aweful lot of small issues against it.
wow 41k for a powerwagon now. Thats still alot of money but not really as far as a truck goes. And it would be nice to have all those capabilities w/ the factory warranty. Then when that runs out and you start adding your already ahead of the game.
@Jason, thanks. Too much torque. Got it. Is the Big Hemi too much power as well?
@MrKnowitall, thanks. The winch could go in my opinion, seems silly to not offer an entire powertrain just for a winch. One could easily add the winch in the aftermarket.
Sharp truck though. Makes no sense whatsoever around here though. 3/4 ton trucks suck in the mud.
Another big truck for people to drive to the super market in.
Dong, nothing like seeing a woman trying to park a truck like that in the closest spot at the Walmart!
Expensive gas however has kind of put a damper on that sort of thing.
If I had the money and it came with a manual tranny it would be impossible for me to say no. But money and driveway space has its limitations.
Awesome truck...Maybe I'll pick one up in another 8 years after some other sap has taken the insane depreciation hit... No virgins for me, Lou!
WHEN IS PICKUPTRUCKS.COM GOING TO TEST THE NEW 66RFE HD 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION?
I bet is outperforms the overrated SD 6.2 Torqueshift combo.
I think this truck can really benefit from some 35s.
"With those prices, I could buy 2 Tacoma's..." -oxi
Valid point but it would take two Tacomas to do all the things that a one Power Wagon can do. You would have to have one Tacoma heavily modified for off-road use and the other Tacoma heavily modified for actual truck work.
The major problem would be -how would you attach the two Tacomas (in parallel or in series) together to match the 10,250 pound towing capacity?
Not flaming. Just proving that a pickup like the Power Wagon does have it's purposes.
A base Tacoma 4x4 Access Cab is $26k.
Power Wagon is $41k.
Therefore you could only buy one Tacoma.
The Power Wagen is almost to big for real off roading, the Tacoma could get into place the Ram could never, the only thing the Ram has is two lockers, so it'll get through some open mud pits a lot better but I don't think it would take on the Rubicon trail.
LMAO @ Bob! Idiocracy!
Oh looky! STICKERS!, And you guys make fun of the Z71... hehe
@ jasonh - just like the virgin analogy, it might be hard to find one that hasn't been pounded too hard ;)
On that note, you could go the oxi route, start out with a "3" and visit the plastic surgeon until you come out with a "9" .
@bob -
quote"Someone wake me up once theres real news to be seen."
We promise we will wake you when GM releases their new truck line.
Maybe, in the mean time, change your name to Rumpelstiltskin.
I have no idea why they do not make a 1/2 ton Power Wagon. Paint it that stupid Mossy Oak green and it would sell like hotcakes on opening day of pheasant season.
I had a 1/2 ton 1974 Power Wagon, 440cu, 4 speed, 35's with grille gaurd and winch.
@Bob, don't blame this website, Ford, Dodge, or Scotty McCreery just because GM has not had any real news since the bailout.
@Alex,
How is that Minivan holdin' out for ya?
@Lou,
Why are you still here? Was there no school today or something?
"I think this truck can really benefit from some 35s." -Frank
So true. That is why I went up to 35" before the original 33" tires were even half-way worn. It looks so much better with the extra tire filling up the wheel-well.
"The Power Wagen is almost to big for real off roading, the Tacoma could get into place the Ram could never, the only thing the Ram has is two lockers, so it'll get through some open mud pits a lot better but I don't think it would take on the Rubicon trail." -Mike
That is why Chrysler makes the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The Power Wagon is made to be the jack of all trades and not the master of one. A Tacoma can not haul and tow the things that a Ram Power Wagon can. A Tacoma owner would also need to own a full-size real truck to perform the tasks that pickups were originally designed for.
Unclebud-
The extra 1,000 pounds of the diesel would hurt the off-road performance of the Power Wagon. Plus the diesel is already a $6,000.00 option to the standard 2500. I can not see people that would be willing to fork over another $6,000.00 for the Power Wagon package. Let alone actually off-roading it the way it was designed. It would certainly only be a "show-bunny".
Gas motor? Yawn.........
@Buy American - I think there should be a baby diesel for this truck. I see a large number of lifted diesel Ram trucks that are not "show bunnies", but used offroad. Mild lifts and bigger tires are very popular with the "younger" loggers.
Great, we have Rumpelstiltskin impersonating PUTC.
Bob, go back to sleep. This isn't a GM story.
Cool idea, but about a yard too long, a foot too wide, and a ton too heavy.
Hmmm Now just add the camo interior!
Actually, the reason why they don't offer the Cummins has to do with the price of adding it (About $7000 more than the Hemi.).
The added emissions requirements, weight increase, and maintainance increase doesn't bode well either. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea! But if you need a Cummins that bad, you could buy one then add all the other bits yourself.
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