The Truck Wars have been well underway for the past few years and there are no signs of the battle ending any time soon.
With ever evolving offerings from Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Nissan, Ram and Toyota, the vehicles in the highly competitive pickup truck market are constantly slugging it out for segment domination.
Ram Trucks, fresh off a year which saw their over all sales increase by 24%, unveiled their latest weapon at the 2015 North American International Auto Show with the 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel.
2015 Ram 1500 Rebel
I had the chance to get to see the Ram Rebel up-close and personal during press day at NAIAS and I have to say, I was more than impressed.
Speaking with Ram Truck Chief Engineer, Mike Cairns, it was quite evident that adding an off-road style package to the Ram lineup was a priority, however they wanted to make sure they did it right.
Built off the Ram 4×4, the new Rebel has:
- Standard 4-corner air suspension for increased ride height
- 33″ Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires
- Bilstein monotube shocks
- A retuned suspension to maximize off-road capability
- New front grill design to set the Rebel apart from it’s Ram siblings
- Unique interior colors and materials
- Quiet and comfortable ride when on the road
Ram Rebel: Concept or Reality?
If you’ve been to the Detroit Auto Show before, you know that Cobo Center is packed with with hundreds of vehicles for the public to admire in person.
Not too long ago concept vehicles were easy to spot because they tended to look more futuristic than their traditional counterparts.
These days however, the line between concept vehicles and production vehicles is blurred.
When I first saw the Ram Rebel, I wasn’t sure if this was a concept of an off-road pickup or the real thing.
Luckily for all of us, the Ram Rebel is going in to production and should hit the showroom floor at LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram by mid-summer of 2015.
With a Rebel Yell We Cried More, More, More!
I’ll admit it, I’ve never been much of a truck guy. Then I saw the Ram Rebel at the Detroit Auto Show and there was something about it I just felt drawn to.
To me that speaks volumes to the team that put the Rebel together because in the Truck Wars, it’s a battle to get as many people driving your truck as possible.
And honestly it’s easier to turn someone into a truck guy or girl than it is to pull a loyal driver from another brand over to yours.
So for that I give kudos to the entire team at Ram Trucks for putting together a pickup that has me wanting more and wanting it right now.
What do you think about the 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel…is it poised to turn the tide of the Truck Wars in Ram’s favor? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
