Dodge Ram Named Trailer Boats Tow Vehicle of the Year
14 February 2000
Dodge Ram Named Trailer Boats Tow Vehicle of the Year AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 14 / -- Trailer Boats magazine has
named the Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck its 2000 Tow Vehicle of the Year.
"I'd say the Dodge Ram muscled its way to the top of the test," said Jim
Julow, Vice President - Dodge Division. "The Ram was designed to meet a great
variety of uses and perform under all conditions. Strong engines are part of
Dodge's reputation for power and capability -- these are features that all of
us boaters can appreciate."
Trailer Boats chose the Dodge Ram Quad Cab 4x2 with the 8.0-liter Magnum
V-10 engine, four-speed automatic transmission and 4.10:1 axle ratio for its
test, which included entries from all the domestic full-size pickup
manufacturers. As equipped, the Ram has a maximum recommended towing capacity
of 13,500 pounds, the highest of all those tested. Its engine, the largest
and most powerful in the competition, develops 310 horsepower and 450 pound-
feet of torque.
Trailer Boats called it the best buy for the job, noting its mid-level
pricing and powerful engine.
The competition was conducted with a Sea Ray 260 Sundancer on a tandem-
axle Trail Rite trailer. The boat and trailer had a towed weight of 9,940
pounds and a tongue weight of 940 pounds.
The test route covered one of the country's toughest towing routes --
California's "Grapevine." The magazine calls it a notorious 40-mile-long
mountainous stretch between Los Angeles and Bakersfield, with grades up to 6
percent -- the greatest allowable incline on interstate highways.
Dodge Ram was favored for its ability to accelerate off the line and in
the passing range. "It pulls hard and is strong at all RPMs," said the
report.
Ram also turned the mountain towing chores "into a cakewalk," said the
review, and "went uncontested in the eyes of most testers."
"It has plenty of pedal in reserve," one tester said. "When accelerating
uphill, it felt as if it were not pulling anything."
"From its well-behaved, yet powerful 8.0-liter V-10 to its rock-steady
ride, the Dodge was clearly the best choice to tow a large boat," according to
Executive Editor Ron Eldridge.
DaimlerChrysler products have captured the Tow Vehicle of the Year award
in seven of the last 18 years -- more than any other manufacturer. Dodge
full-size trucks have won four times overall.
Dodge Rams are the longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road based on
R.L. Polk pickup truck registrations. In 1999, J.D. Power and Associates
ranked Dodge Ram "most appealing" among full-size pickups for the fifth
consecutive year. And Strategic Vision gave Ram its Total Quality Award for
"Best Ownership Experience in the full-size pickup class.
