Ugh! I think the RAM would look better on a crosshair grille and the ram head logo would look better on the tailgate.

Why is the front so ugly. I guess it doesn't matter because it will be in the shop so much no one will see that ugly grill

My question is why is Bob Hegbloom so defensive about the the backlash to the new grille and tailgate? Is he so shocked anyone would question his new design? Well, guess what, it was questioned and questioned big time!

Take some other half ton trucks offroading with you, like new 2.7 F150 with short leaf springs and make some video, how they perform with obstacles to see rear axle articulation and make some course like you did with Raptor and Runner and race it there.
Go some rock crawling test and make some video with most recent half tons
I want to know, if this RAM performs better than ford, gm...if I take it outdoor for hunting, offroading, quading, hiking...
That's what this Rebel is made for, so I want you to test it like that. No silly 0 to 60, no city driving. High speed Offroad , rocks , mud, climbing hills, creeks. ...
Let us know average MPG on the end of this test for all of the contenders.

@cicka

I want to know city driving, silly 0-60, braking and handling. I don't only want to use the truck off road. It has to be able to do normal driving as well. It's an off road package and we need to know how it does in that regard, but at what cost to on road performance? The vehicle is street legal after all.

@markwilliams
Perhaps now we could have a half ton off road shoot? Ram Rebel, Ford Raptor, Tundra TRD Pro? Maybe throw in the Silverado Z71 and Sierra All Terrain so GM has a horse in the race? I imagine the GM twins would get killed. Same would likely be true of a Titan Pro 4X. The comparable results would be nice to have though.

Two ways to make this truck look a lot better.

1. Leave the embossed Ram letters on the tail gate body color.

2. Paint the fake brushed aluminum plastic Ram script in the grill black.

You can thank me later.

I think the Ram Rebel looks beautiful!
I like it better cause the rest of you don't like it.
Looks like a real truck!

girly soccer mom F-150 is an embarrassment Ford should offer a hair dryer option that hooks into the turbo for women and don't forget about the lighted vanity mirror on the visor.

girly men
girly men
girly men drive new F-150's

@Swordman248
That's all right you want to know, if this truck can handle Red Light Shopping Mall racing, but I don't work for PUTC, so you better ask them to do those tests, not me.
I can also assure you, that all the cars and trucks made this days can keep up with any city traffic and city brakes no problem.

2. Paint the fake brushed aluminum plastic Ram script in the grill black.
You can thank me later.

Posted by: the other mike | May 9, 2015 11:41:58 AM

Yeah. Or change it to Ford logo and it would be perfect mean machine.
LOL.

To say that ALL coil spring suspensions are better and have more wheel travel than any leaf spring setup is false and is just someone regurgitating what they heard on some suspension forum because they don't really know. It depends on how each suspension is setup. There are leaf spring suspensions that have more wheel travel then some coil spring suspensions. If one is saying that a Ram coil spring suspension has more wheel travel than the leaf spring setups found in other trucks WITHOUT knowing the actual wheel travel numbers, then they are just making a fan boy comment without knowing the truth.

I think the Ram Rebel looks like great vehicle for women!
I like it better cause other girls don't like it too.
Looks like a real truck for a pretty guy like me!

girly soccer mom Ram 1500 is an embarrassment Ram should offer a hair dryer option that hooks into the MDS for women and don't forget about the lighted vanity mirror on the visor.

girly men is what I like
girly men is what I like
girly men drive new Rams like me

@Gary
We don't know that, that's why I asked them to test it offroad , rock climbing... and compare it with new 2.7 F150, so we can put this question to the rest forever.

Please try and find out if truck is assembled in USA, and what's the percentage of American made parts used in the truck.

Thanks, Mike

I think this truck look pretty damn good. better then looking at the same grill since 09.

Yes, please find out if it's assembled in US. Even Apple is assembled in China . I wouldn't buy anything assembled in US, so this answer is very important for me as well.

Please find out when it will be available to order and at dealers. Also, would like to know the mpg's of the Pentastar and Hemi, both in
4 X 4. Thanks!

Nice looking truck except for the retro '58 GMC grille. Sorry Hegbloom, I don't think it looks good at all. Hopefully it will interchange with the standard chrome grille.

Rebel isn’t a direct Raptor competitor, or a miniature Power Wagon — it’s more of a Chevy LT Z71 or Ford FX4, so please PUTC get those 2 trucks and make some rock climbing, offroad course, uphill climbing, mud, creek ..... tests.

This Ram truck doesn't have one very important off road feature that the Ford Fx4, Chevy Z-71, Toyota TRD Pro, and the Nissan Pro-4X have. That is a rear locking differential. That makes a huge difference in off road capability especially in the rocks. Suspension travel would be limited on all trucks by their tire going into their fenders long before any difference of coils versus leaf spring would take effect. The leaf spring suspension in that F150 was able to travel as much as the fender well will allow it to. The same would go for this Rebel and its coil spring setup that would also be limited by its wheels going into its fender well. The rear lockers(or the lack there of) would play a bigger roll in the off road capabilities of these trucks

I don't know why people expect PUTC to get other trucks into a Ram test drive. This sounds like a Ram event. There will be no other trucks unless Ram brings them which they probably won't.

The air ride lift is from the standard system. It's got a new 33" tire and a new grille. That is an appearance package. Not something we haven't seen before.

What Do You Want to Know?

Payload on the door sticker.

RAM has something FX4 doesn't.

The suspension and electronics have been updated to match the lift, so unlike a quick-and-dirty aftermarket lift, it won’t wear down the tires and bring unpredictable handling.

It appears to beat the Ford FX4 in every off-road clearance specification except for the departure angle.

Those who actually off-road their trucks may appreciate the durable powder-coated surfaces of the black front and rear bumpers. The front also has a powder-coated, silver skid plate, front tow hooks, and new LED fog lamps. Black-bezel projector headlamps with LED marker lights are set under an aluminum, twin-snorkel sport hood.

The functional changes are Bilstein front and rear shocks; a different steering and stability-control calibration; a softer rear stabilizer bar; 33-inch (LT285/70R17E) Toyo Open Country A/T all-terrain tires; and a one-inch raised ride height, increasing the off-road approach, departure, and breakover angles.

Open Country A/Ts are versatile all-terrain tires designed for all-season handling and a comfortable ride, with an aggressive tread pattern, wavy sipe arrangement and groove bottom siping for snow traction, and an open shoulder for water evacuation.

The one-inch lift comes via Ram’s exclusive air suspension system to clear the 33-inch tires and provide additional ground clearance, some of which is used by the optional skid plates. A modified independent front suspension alignment adjusts tire angles; and aluminum lower A-arms absorb the load. The result is best-in-class ground clearance (not minimum ground clearance) of 10.3 inches with skid plates, 11.0 without.

The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine won Ward’s 10 Best Engines for three years in a row.

The 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with has 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque.

Both engines come with the class-exclusive “TorqueFlite 8” eight-speed automatic transmission, and can be optioned up with a rear anti-spin differential, which turns both rear wheels in tandem when increased torque is applied; it automatically unlocks the differential for normal on-road driving, allowing the wheels to spin independently for improved drivability.

Take that ! fx4.

MW says the most interesting thing about the Rebel is the lettering on the tailgate.

That tells you all you need to know about this package...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ZsrHifRBM

@Scottie
No . Sorry, I watched that video and you are liar.

@Cummins
You missed this.

Both engines come with the class-exclusive “TorqueFlite 8” eight-speed automatic transmission, and can be optioned up with a rear anti-spin differential, which turns both rear wheels in tandem when increased torque is applied; it automatically unlocks the differential for normal on-road driving, allowing the wheels to spin independently for improved drivability.

That fender well issue you try to bring in here is invalid, because non of you has driven Rebel yet and would only apply for ford now.
Rebel has fenders from PowerWagon.

Csicka is wrong again.

"It's the back of the tailgate that's the most interesting to us...massive 5" lettering...also dual exhaust"

@ 1:39seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ZsrHifRBM

It's the back of the tailgate that's the most interesting...massive 5" lettering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ZsrHifRBM&feature=youtu.be&t=1m39s

@Scottie
It's most interesting to PUTC and to Scottie of course. You have 2 choices in here. Buy it or not. No wonder ford sells so many f150, if their customers are this shallow.

That front end is worse than my BT-50 in looks.

Here Mazda eventually admitted that the looks of the BT50 affected its sales. This will happen to this fugly Ram.

FCA should give at a minimum, a complete redesign of the front end of all Rams.

R-A-M stamped into the tailgate will not affect sales and actually might assist in sales.

Secondly, Ram could improve it's rear suspension. But that is secondary to a partial re-skin of the pickup.

I don't think this look will improve Ram's numbers.

Fugly.

Secondly, Ram could improve it's rear suspension. But that is secondary to a partial re-skin of the pickup.

Posted by: Big Al from Oz | May 9, 2015 3:17:52 PM

Could you elaborate, what did you mean by that ?

No any other truck has better rear suspension than RAM.

Drive it thru a cattle pasture, see if you have to crawl it or can drive it normally due to the Bilsteins on it.

I have 33's with stock shocks, it takes the pasture just fine at 20-30mph, brother has a Power Wagon and it rides stiff as a board so have to crawl thru a pasture. Buddies Z71 is so soft it bottoms out on dips....

If you hate Ram so much why don't you trade your Ram in on a Super Dooty?

Posted by: HEMI | May 9, 2015 3:13:12 PM

I agree. Good question.

One of my neighbors lightened up his RAM a little.

Usually he puts the parts (the ones that fall off) back on. I suggested that he just let 'em lay and the truck will weigh less, get better mileage, etc. He said he'd try it.

He loves it.

He said not putting the parts back on saves a lot of time too. He said it does not rattle as much either.

@HEMI

"If you hate Ram so much why don't you trade your Ram in on a Super Dooty?"

Who said I hate Ram? Just because I am stating facts does not mean I hate something. Although I do not think the Ram 1500 is not the best "half ton", I don't like small diesels in big trucks, and I also think Ram messed up big time putting the 66RFE behind the already weak 6.4L in the 2500. Those are just my opinion though.

It does not mean I hate all Rams or everything about Ram. Nor does it mean I will only post positives about Ram while ignoring the negatives. I have posted negatives about Ford here. Does that mean I hate for too? As I said many times before, I believe all the makes have their goods and bads. Some more then others in certain areas. Not one manufacturer makes the perfect truck and some may make a good "one ton" while I think their "half ton" is c-rap.

I also think one of the best decision Ram made was putting a Cummins in their trucks which is the sole reason why I bought one. I am not saying the other diesels are bad, but I am still loyal to my ex-employer long with other reasons why I chose the engine. Still that does mean I ignore facts like how the the new Powerstroke has more horsepower and torque than my Cummins with a 68RFE transmission. I do not ignore the fact that I think the 6R140 in the Super Duty is far better than the 68RFE in my Ram. Or the fact that lockers are better off road than limited slip differentials.

@Cummins
you shouldn't be cheap and buy Aisin trany.

I would really like to hear those facts ford horde is talking about.
The fact is that, this Rebel has no competition and ford is going down every month and RAM is going up. Even Ole1 is driving one and his blown ecoboost rests in peace.

I will wait for Mark to test this truck, because non of you ford horde has driven this truck, yet you post your assumptions like sure thing in here.

I am really excited about this truck, because 2.7 ecoboost with just aluminium body doesn't cut it.
I wanna hear those facts.
Please?

Why didn't someone wipe that huge big pile of crap off the front end before the photo shoot?

@ Big Al from Oz

You are mixing up rear suspension design with payload.

Apparently, from what I've read the Navara rides like a Maxima and can still carry 2 500lbs.
Posted by: Big Al from Oz | May 9, 2015 4:46:31 PM

Maybe on Highway. Source ?

There is no better rear truck suspension than RAM.

@Chita,
I do think you are confused one.

You speak of the Ram as a car, not a truck.

I do support your view that pickups are cars first and trucks second, hence, my comment the suspension is secondary.

As for design, you again called the Ram a truck, when it is a car/SUV with a bed.

This is what the consumer want. They don't want a truck.

Design is based on function. The function is a car/SUV.

No matter which way you attempt to cut it, you are incorrect in not the suspension, but it's application.

@Big Al from Oz
Could you be more specific, what RAM needs to improve with rear multilink coil suspension?
I think you are confused, because
you were talking about Navara payload, so you meant that RAM needs to improve payload and not suspension design.

I wanna also know your source for this claim.

Apparently, from what I've read the Navara rides like a Maxima and can still carry 2 500lbs.
Posted by: Big Al from Oz | May 9, 2015 4:46:31 PM

Ram will take over Austrailia.

Ram making the midsizers extinct.

If it's a true "dual exhaust", one side must have been plumbed into the cabin..

No it's single exhaust with left and right coming out of the muffler. Like an IROC.

But that's a handlebar mustache grill. An obvious tribute to Freddie Mercury

I have to agree with Clicka. There is no better suspension setup on a truck today than the RAM especially if you consider the air suspension option.

Durabilty and dependability aside, it's great for us consumers to see a truck maker push the boundaries of the traditional truck suspension into a comfortable and good handling setup with decent capabilty. Yet, be able to fullfill the lifestyle oriented capabilities that consumers want these days. Because let's face it, about 75% of buyers used them primarily as glorified body on frame, big V8 engine lifted passenger cars.

It's great way for male buyers to break out of the unibody frame, small displacement, highly feminized design rut of the typical passenger car these days.

I think this notion of having to suffer from a stiff buckboard riding supension to have good hauling and towing ability is outdated. You can have good capability and a relatively compliant ride. RAM is proving just that particularly with the air suspension option.

I bet in the not to distant future, the other makes will be following with their own oil spring rear supension setups, particularly in their half ton models. I'm almost positive of it.

PUTC
Please do a real off road test this time!
I want to see trucks climb over downed trees blocking the trail.
I want to see you crossing creeks with vertical creek beds.
I want to see deep ruts and almost vertical hill climbs.

I do that almost everyday and I will be happy to show you how its done without any damage to the truck.

I was on an ATV Run yesterday and the city boys were there and its the first time they seen a hill to climb and a waist high creek to cross and they turned into girly men where they asked the locals for help, it was sad to watch.

Forgive me PUTC but I see you guys the same way as city boys that never took a 4x4 truck off-road to its limits.

2015 Ram 1500 paint flaking and rusting with pictures
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ram/1500/2015/body_paint/paint_flaking_rusting.shtml#1

Ok, I apologize for my recent posts, most of which were taken down by the ever vigilant PUTC moderators. The wise cracks about RAM's famous reputation NOT for quality was totally on target.

However, the fine folks at Fiat Chrysler must be bummed over the morbid US economy. Despite all of the hoopla over the latest cooked-up government figures, in fact within a couple of weeks the Labor Dept press team will politely inform us in a few weeks that the April figures are being revised (downward).

this is not the kind of stuff that RAM dealers want to see (low growth, thin margins, money on the hood). Ford had to hump their new F150 with years of advertising (Dennis Leary sarcasm) and it still is not selling. If Ford with its legendary ad budgets and huge dealer-distribution networks and fleet sales can't blow the doors off, nobody can. GM's new mid size twins ditto. Lots of hoopla, very bland sales performance so far.

RAM cannot be happy, so instead of real stories we get this Rebel writeup and a few photos.

Posted by: papa jim |

papa jim
I'm afraid to buy a new truck even when I desperately want one.
I read horror stories of problems on the new trucks, look at the 2015 Ram story I posted about rust and paint flaking!
Ford is making the biggest blunder of all by going too extreme in changes they made with the F-150.
They didn't do it for you and me, they only changed it to stick it in the buttocks of Ram and Chevy thinking they can't keep up.
Then the final insult Ford made is not offering any discounts on the new F-150 expecting full sticker and the highest priced truck out there.
Ford also took away the excitement, like when they promoted the eco-boost in 2011.
Personally I think anybody is throwing their money away paying $45K for a new truck where the older used trucks are much better quality.
I am keeping my 2013 F-150, its beat up, it shakes and rumbles when I first start it but I believe it better than a new one.

What I would like to know is if they improved the performance of the Hemi or all this extra weight of this fake off-roader going to even make it worse. The hemi name used to be synomises with top of the line performance but fiat has made it the worse performer in the truck segment. Gm has the 6.2 that rules over the hemi and ford has not 1 but 2 ecoboost in the 1/2 ton segment that dominates the hemi ram. Come on fiat you are completely ruining an American icon and the hemi name plate with the sub par performance you give it in the truck market. People use to be proud they had an hemi in there ram...... Now they get laughed at by everyone. "Is that a hemi". "Yep!!!!" "Hahahahahaha". That is how the conversation goes now days.

@Scott
I'll tell you a news. New 6.2 liter engine should have more power and better MPG than 5.7L 12 years old one . That's pretty normal.
I am glad, I can still buy this Reliable Icon engine, or modern V6 3.6 , best 10 engine last 3 years in the row or V6 3L turbodiesel, or 6.4 HEMI or 6.7 Cummins.
GM has great gasoline engines these days and it would be my choice over ford probably. I can't swallow gm or ford design, so on the end I would end up with Toyota , if I don't have RAM choice.
Who else has guts from US if not FCA to build and produce engine like HELLCAT?

@Scott
Don't forget, that ecoboost is faster from 0to 60 than 5.7HEMI only if Power Braking. Something l have to see in real life yet.
You've been living in a dream . Neo.

Chica

The hemi in the ram use to be something to brag about. It no longer is. It's a bottom of the barrel engines for the truck segment. They should at least rename the hemi engine in the ram to a magnum as not to disgrace the hemi name plate as the hemi in the ram is a 4th place performance in the truck segment.
That is the reason that fiat is begging for a merger with gm and ford or whoever will take them so they can get an LS motor or an ecoboost motor for the ram.

Hemi use to demand respect in whatever it was in... Not anymore in the truck segment. It's a shame what fiat is doing to it... You are watching history in the making. Historians will see fiat buying Chrysler as what made the hemi a laughing stock of the truck segment.

@Scott
It's just your assumptions, but selling numbers tells otherwise. FCA can slap turbo at 3.6 anytime if they want, like they do with Maserati.

Something new is definitely comming and it's exciting. Ford should be worried, because aluminium didn't cut it and 10 speed is not going to be ready for at least 2 years.

http://www.pentastars.com/