Friday morning, Ram unveiled its latest Power Wagon model with Jeep and Ram brand head Mike Manley calling the truck the “pinnacle of our offerings” for the truck enthusiast crowd.
Like it has been since its reimagining in 2014, the 2017 Ram Power Wagon is based on a 2500 Heavy Duty 4×4 Crew Cab and is outfitted with a long list of off-road equipment. The most apparent difference with this year’s model is that Ram has updated the look of the Power Wagon using the grille design of the much less powerful 1500 Rebel.
Power
While the GMC Sierra All Terrain X might be your only half-ton option for a factory off-road trim with a V8, the 3/4-ton Power Wagon comes standard with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 pushing 410 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 429 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Ram says the engine calibration is unique to the Power Wagon.
Another update to the Power Wagon is hill descent control, which allows drivers to control speed down steep grades without the need for throttle or brake pedals using buttons on the column shifter.
Plus, Ram explains that when in 4WD low mode, “the throttle response softens and the idle speed increases by 100 rpm (from 650 to 750 rpm) – providing added control when ascending and descending off-road obstacles at slow speeds.”
The Power Wagon uses axles built by American Axle Manufacturing and measure 9.25 inches in the front and 11.5 inches in the rear. The axels include electronic-locking differentials and provide power via a 4.10:1 ring and pinion ratio. The truck also features a front-axle disconnect. Here’s a video from Ram explaining a bit more of the engineering behind the new Power Wagon.
Suspension
A five-link rear coil suspension and three-link front coil suspension provide extra axle articulation while an electronic disconnecting sway bar allows the front axle to move independently of the truck’s frame in 4WD High and Low at speed below 18 mph.
The suspension system includes Bilstein shocks, modified control arms, spring rates and more than two inches of lift.
The truck rides on 17-inch wheels wrapped around 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires.
Even with all of the off-road equipment, the Power Wagon is capable of handling payloads up to 1,510 pounds and towing up to 10,030 pounds.
Styling, options
Both fabric and leather interiors are available as are heated front seats and heated steering wheel. A 7-inch center cluster is standard including an 8.4-inch touchscreen display.
Black bezel headlamps with LED marker lights sit on either side of that blacked out Rebel grille while the front bumper houses a 12,000-pound Warn winch with 125 feet of line. A backup camera is housed in the tailgate and an available option is the cargo-view camera which gives a comprehensive view of payload without the need to look through the rear window.
In addition to adopting the distinctive new Ram Rebel grille, the Power Wagon adds vertical “POWER WAGON” graphics near the rear tire fenders and a massive “RAM” nameplate seated above another “POWER WAGON” decal on the tailgate.