New Models
New Models

2021 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty: Australian debut due next year

Bigger, badder, torquier than the 1500 – and all its rivals, apparently.


UPDATE: The new RAM 2500 Heavy Duty, unveiled in January 2019 and originally expected to hit Australia "sometime" in 2020, is now expected to arrive in either late 2020 or early 2021.

News of the model's coming was announced on Ram Trucks Australia's Facebook page in May, but the company has yet to issue a press release.

The brand's Australian distributor has told CarAdvice that a late 2020 or early 2021 launch is expected, although its Facebook post describes a 2021 launch – and its website hosts a registrations-of-interest page with the same timing.

Watch for more details to come in the months ahead.


January, 2019: Ram has revealed the bigger, badder 2500 Heavy Duty and 3500 Heavy Duty versions of its pickup at the Detroit motor show, creating the first production truck to top 1000lb.ft (1356Nm) of torque in the process.

Although three engines will be offered in total, the headline unit is a 6.7-litre inline-six turbo-diesel pumping out 400hp (298kW) and 1356Nm. Coupled with the right chassis and tow-hitch options, models with the flagship engine will tow a staggering 35,100 pounds (15,921kg).

That's only 45kg more than the previous class-leader, the Ford Super Duty, but every little bit counts.

It's hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission as standard, with Ram claiming the new AS69RC (catchy) unit offer faster, more precise shifts in a wider variety of driving conditions thanks to significantly upgraded silicon.

Buyers who don't need to tow a small planet will be offered two other engines: a de-tuned version of the inline-six diesel, or a 6.4-litre petrol V8. The former puts 370hp (276kW) and 1152Nm to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, the latter makes 410hp (306kW) and 582Nm, and is mated to an eight-speed automatic.

As with the latest Ram 1500, revealed in Detroit last year, the 2500/3500 are meaningfully lighter (around 65kg) than their predecessors. They're both built around new frames utilising a higher percentage of high-strength steel than before, while there's more aluminium scattered around the exterior body panels.

Given they're designed to haul big loads, it should come as no surprise to hear Ram has attempted to walk the tightrope between laden and unladen ride comfort on its new Heavy Duty vehicles. Auto-levelling rear suspension is available as an option, bringing with it a smoother ride and no payload penalty.

Behind the wheel, the new Heavy Duty gets the same high-tech cabin as its smaller, cheaper 1500 siblings. That means a 12-inch vertical touchscreen is available, running the latest UConnect infotainment software, along with a whopping five USB ports and three 115V power sockets.

WIth the range of trim levels on offer – everything from pared-back workhorses to luxury-car aping powerhouses – interior trim and design will vary wildly across the range.

By Scott Collie


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