2011 DODGE RAM LARAMIE Family Truck
The
2011 Dodge Ram 1500 styling is the same as the 2010
Ram 1500’s. It’s again highlighted by the buzz-cut, forwarding-leaning grille that gives this truck much of its character. This
pickup’s body itself is surprisingly aerodynamic, which helps reduce wind noise. The
2011 Ram 1500 comes in three cab styles: a two-door regular cab, an extended-length Quad Cab with two small rear doors, and the longer Crew Cab body with four conventional doors. The regular cab rides a 120.5-inch wheelbase and offers cargo-bed lengths of 6.3 feet and 8 feet. The 2011 Ram 1500 Quad Cab and Crew Cab use a 140.5-inch wheelbase. The Quad Cab has the 6.3-foot cargo box. The Crew Cab has a 5.6-foot box; all beds are wide enough to hold a 4x8 sheet laid flat.The 2011 Ram 1500 returns a broad range of trim levels, from work-truck basic ST, better equipped SLT, lively Sport, and the luxury Laramie. Added to the SLT trim level for model-year 2011 is an Outdoorsman package that replaces the previous TRX version and includes assorted off-road upgrades. Also new is the luxury
Laramie Longhorn package with a unique two-tone paint treatment and a rich leather and wood-trimmed interior.
2011 DODGE RAM LARAMIE American Pick-up
The
2011 Ram 1500 remains the only
full-size pickup to use coil-springs instead of leaf springs in conjunction with its solid rear axle. The affect is class-leading ride comfort and chassis control over bumps. Its towing capacity, when properly equipped, ranges from a meek 3,600 pounds with the V-6 all the way up to a class-competitive 10,450 with the Hemi.
Trucks like the
2011 Ram 1500 are categorized as “half-ton” pickups based on a loose definition of their payload, which is the maximum weight a truck can carry in passengers and cargo. Payload varies by body style, bed, and engine, but the 2011 Ram 1500’s payload ratings range from 1,340 pounds to 1,860. That’s generally class-competitive, though the 2011 Ford F-150 with its turbocharged V-6 claims a 3,060-pound payload ceiling. Heavier-duty versions of these pickups are also available. With beefier chassis and offering diesel engines, they’re tailored for commercial users, tradespeople, and serious towing. The
Dodge Ram 2500, for example, falls into the three-quarter-ton category and the Ram 3500 into the one-ton category. The
Ram 3500 has a payload ceiling of 5,130 pounds and can tow up to 17,500 pounds.
2011 DODGE RAM LARAMIE Interior
The
2011 Dodge Ram 1500 is available with an advanced new four-wheel-drive system but carries over the 2010
Ram 1500’s engine lineup. That’s a small surprise because many observers expected the 2011 Ram 1500 to be available with Chrysler’s new Pentastar V-6, which was introduced in the redesigned 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and is filtering through the 2011 Chrysler Group (Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram brands) lineup. The dual-overhead cam all-aluminum V-6 launches in a 3.6-liter displacement with horsepower ratings ranging between 280-305 and a minimum of 260 pound-feet of torque, depending on the model. The Pentastar eventually will replace seven less-sophisticated Chrysler Group V-6s and the company says it’ll bring an average 7 percent fuel efficiency improvement compared to those engines.
