Press kit: 2013 Ram 1500

New Ram 1500 Combines Ruggedly Handsome Looks and Styling with New Interior and Technology Features

  • New exterior design cues improve an already great-looking truck and enhance aerodynamic performance
  • New front end includes larger Ram grille, headlight upgrades, bumper and fascia
  • New 6-foot-4-inch bed option on Crew Cab
  • All-new premium lighting system includes bi-functional halogen projector bulbs, new taillamp designs and LEDs at all four corners
  • Best-in-class interior redesigned with new features, technologies and styling upgrades
  • All-new interior themes with new colors and materials
  • A first for pickups – all-new exclusive eight-speed transmission with innovative dash-mounted, rotary e-shift dial
  • Next generation 8.4-inch Uconnect system with background screens tailor-made to specific Ram Truck models and themes
  • New configurable premium vehicle information center with 7-inch touchscreen now available on SLT; standard on Sport, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn models
  • All-new HVAC controls feature simple, improved function to meet highest human machine interface (HMI) standards
  • New multimedia port with USB, SD card and auxiliary inputs
The new 2013 Ram 1500 continues to maintain its ruggedly handsome appearance with all-new interior and exterior design aesthetics, improved aerodynamics and all-new, segment-leading technology — and every Ram 1500 truck benefits from new content specifically designed to match each model’s unique style.

Exterior
Ram Truck brand designers started with the Ram grille, featuring a new design approximately one inch taller and “saddled” within the new upper fascia panel for a more integrated appearance. The lower outboard corners have been beveled for a more “gusseted,” durable appearance.

“The Ram 1500 has the most recognizable design on the road today and we want to preserve that claim,” said Joe Dehner, Head of Ram Truck and Dodge Design, Product Design Office — Chrysler Group LLC. “With understated changes, the best looking light-duty truck out there continues to maintain its ‘ruggedly handsome’ appearance with new improvements to aerodynamics.”

The classic Ram crosshair horizontal and vertical grille bars are now flush at the top and bottom of the grille surround. The bars themselves are more sculpted and artfully cross in the middle to create a perfect location for an updated interpretation of the Ram badge, which now incorporates sculpted bevels around the shield.

Four new grille designs are available on the 2013 Ram 1500. Tradesman, Express, SLT and R/T have a new molded-in Black “Hex-Link” design. Big Horn and Sport both receive a “billet-perf” texture available in two different finishes specific to their model. The Laramie model features the “hex-perf” texture in chrome and Laramie Longhorn offers an upscale “wave-mesh” texture.

The new front bumper design supports the saddled Ram grille theme with new vertically oriented fog lamps for improved light spread, distance and brightness. Larger openings around the front tow hooks (four-wheel-drive models) allow for easy access to the hooks. The bumper is available in four different finishes specific to each model – satin black, body-colored, two-tone accent or chrome.

The 2013 Ram 1500 quad headlamp design has improved light spread, pattern consistency, distance and 30 percent more lumens. An all-new premium headlamp lighting system is a bi-functional halogen projector design with 15 amber LEDs for park/turn/position lamp and three amber LEDs for the side marker. A vertically ribbed inner lens softens the glow and retains the improved visual component of the segment exclusive LEDs. The new lamp is standard on Sport (with unique black bezels) and Laramie models. The Ram design team carefully crafted the interior bezel and housing to create a visually entertaining, yet functional piece of hardware. Also, a Ram shield logo is molded into the housing and the Ram name molded into the inside of the outer lens.

Each Ram 1500 model features new wheel designs that incorporate the “gusseted” theme from the grille.

Exterior door and fender badges are relocated to a “portrait” style format from the current “landscape” format, yielding not only a cleaner appearance but more usable real estate on the door for a commercial customer’s signs and graphics. A new HEMI® fender badge is larger, and finished in chrome with red and black accents.

For 2013, the Ram 1500 offers 12 different colors, including five new shades: Black Gold Pearl, Copperhead Pearl, Maximum Steel Metallic, Prairie Pearl and Western Brown Pearl are all new, and available in a monotone and/or two-tone, depending on the model.

The new, polished stainless steel running boards have a sturdy-looking box cross-section design with a hexagon tread pattern. Front and rear custom end caps feature “Ram” logos. Also, the new wheel-to-wheel running board design offers aerodynamic improvements over the current version and provide customers improved access to the forward portion of the truck bed.

A new 6-foot-4-inch bed option is now available on Crew Cab models giving customers the ability to combine Ram 1500’s largest available cab with the largest available bed.

An all-new premium taillamp is standard on Sport (with unique black finish) and Laramie models. The stop/tail/turn functions consist of 15 red LEDs with three red LEDs for the side marker. A frosted inner lens creates visual entertainment and softens the glow of the segment exclusive LEDs.

Interior
For 2013, new features and technologies create an opportunity for a redesigned interior with material upgrades, improved fit and finish, all-new interior themes with different colors and materials, all-new HVAC controls and new multimedia systems. The 2013 Ram 1500 also features a new rotary e-shift dial design with the exclusive eight-speed transmission.

“The 2013 Ram 1500 gave us the opportunity to build on an already best-in-class interior while integrating new technologies and features,” said Klaus Busse, Head of Interior Design — Chrysler Group LLC. “We’ve added richer colors and uniquely exceptional materials to give our customers a premium feel that stays true to the hardy nature of a Ram Truck.”

Rear occupants can enjoy the same quality, fit and finish as the driver. With points of contact a priority, new premium materials, colors and designs are now on all four doors. Soft-touch materials enhance armrests and upper bolsters with expanded use of premium surfaces. Tradesman is available in Black/Diesel interior trim. SLT is available in Canyon Brown/Light Frost or Black/Diesel and the Sport model features all-black materials. Stepping up to Laramie customers can choose from all Black or Canyon Brown/Light Frost. Laramie Longhorn has new Cattle Tan/Black or Canyon Brown/Light Frost options.

The 2013 Ram 1500 features the next generation 8.4-inch Uconnect system with background screens tailor-made to specific Ram models and themes. To make room for the new big screen, the center stack is upgraded with matching materials found throughout the interior.

To complement the range of Ram 1500 models, the interior design team created new, individualized themes with different colors and materials. Tradesman and Express receive Iron Gray Metallic coloring throughout the cabin. SLT features premium Anodized Driftwood paint with Satin Chrome accents. Sport uses Dark Diesel Anodized with Light Black Chrome and Piano Black finishes for a “street truck” feel. Laramie features Light Anodized Driftwood paint, adding a contemporary Wenge wood pattern. Laramie Longhorn now features real Walnut Burl inserts stained in Canyon Brown or Cattle Tan. Silver Pebble paint covers the bezel and blends with the rich tones used throughout the cockpit. The Ram design team sought out a very rare walnut grain with a unique burl that was unintentionally created by ranchers using trees as fence posts for barbed wire. Eventually, the trees grow over the rusting metal wire, creating a swirl coloring pattern and tone that is not found anywhere else.

Surrounded by a chrome tracer, the all-new HVAC controls take lessons learned from other Chrysler Group Uconnect applications and feature simple, improved function, meeting the highest human machine interface (HMI) standards.

The HVAC system includes a redundant architecture allowing the operator to use either the 8.4-inch touchscreen or manual controls to alter the truck’s environment. Below the upgraded HVAC arrangement is a new switch bank with relocated, easy-to-use controls for a number of features depending on vehicle models and options. The top row is for functional features and includes air-suspension lift, stop/start, stability control, ParkSense rear park assist and tow/haul. The bottom row is for “comfort” controls and includes air suspension lower, heated steering wheel, heated seats and ventilated seats. All buttons in the comfort bank also are redundant in the Uconnect system.

Contiguous to the switch bank is a prominently placed, adjustable integrated trailer brake control allowing the driver to add or reduce trailer brake function on the fly. The new console center stack also includes a 115-volt outlet and new drawer at the base of the stack with a smooth, premium feel, toolbox-slide action. The new drawer features 12-volt outlets on either side and an optional powered USB on the driver side.

The Ram 1500’s new, class-exclusive eight-speed transmission created the need for an innovative rotary e-shift dial in the cockpit to replace the center console gate shifter – a first for pickups. The new shifter works in both bench and bucket seating configurations. Realizing this is a dramatic change in the way trucks have historically shifted gears, the interior design team accepted the challenge with a new shift knob, naturally and prominently placed to the driver’s right, at the lower left-hand side of the center stack, in place of the previous transfer case shift knob. The rotary dial enables intuitive operation with a direct and confident feel. “Park” is located at the furthest left, then turning clockwise to “Reverse”, “Neutral” and “Drive” at the furthest right. This new design allows for quick and easy shifting for operators wearing gloves and for blind-shift transitions between “Drive” and “Reverse.”

Two designs were created for the new rotary e-shift dial – ST, SLT and Sport feature a black rubber over mold with chrome surround while all Laramie models include a solid, spun-aluminum knob finished in silver. Electronic Range Select for the new eight-speed transmission is located on the face of the steering wheel, right side, allowing individual gear selection. The transfer case retains full capability with LED lit “4WD Auto,” “4WD Lock,” “4WD Low,” “2WD” and “Neutral” push buttons located directly under the e-shift knob.

New technology also moves to the gauge cluster. Previously only available on premium models, the 3.5-inch vehicle information center screen is now standard on Tradesman, Express and SLT and displays vehicle operating functions. The new thin-film transistor (TFT), 7-inch screen is now available on SLT, standard on Sport, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn models. The 7-inch screen features fully customizable function and configurability. Similar to the 8.4-inch Uconnect system, select 7-inch cluster background screens are tailor-made to specific Ram models, with designs that match the truck’s theme.

With the console shifter out of the way, all 2013 Ram 1500 trucks with bucket seats offer additional storage capacity in its place. Six-passenger capability continues to be available with the 40-20-40 bench seat. For models without the eight-speed transmission and e-shift, a floor or column shifter is available.

Two new steering wheels are available. Electronic Range Select for the new eight-speed transmission is located on the face of the steering wheel, on the right side. Tradesman and SLT receive a urethane wheel with a Black or Canyon Brown bezel. Optional on SLT and standard on Sport models is a leather wheel with either Black or Canyon Brown painted bezel. Laramie includes a leather wheel with Anodized paint in Black or Canyon Brown and Laramie Longhorn features a Silver Pebble bezel, Satin real wood and X- stitch in Cattle Tan or Tan. Premium steering wheels also offer a heating option.

Seating colors and feel are upgraded with richer, darker colors, including a new premium cloth material. Tradesman and Express are available in Diesel vinyl, with the option for SLT’s cloth in Diesel. SLT is available in Diesel as well as Canyon Brown. Sport and Laramie models feature all Black; Laramie models offer Light Frost leather. Laramie Longhorn seating features Cattle Tan leather with Black welting/stitching or Canyon Brown with Tan welting/stitching. The center consoles for both the bucket and 40-20-40 bench seat configurations are all new with efficient storage in mind. The new bucket seat console utilizes the extra space as additional storage.

The bench seat design includes three new cup holders built into the console lid that features a washable rubber bellow lining, allowing storage for most cup sizes as well as other personal items. Folding back the center console and center front seat base reveals a large storage bin that houses the optional CD player. Both versions of the console feature two tiers of storage and are available with a new multimedia port with USB, SD card and auxiliary inputs in the upper tier. Additionally, a 2.5-amp USB power port and 12-volt outlet are available to meet device-charging needs.

Lastly, new for 2013, all Ram 1500 models feature Sapphire Blue LED lighting on switches and the rear-view mirror. Sport, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn are adorned with white LED lighting for dome, map and foot wells. All Laramie models feature additional Sapphire Blue ambient lighting throughout the interior, an enhancement for premium trim levels.


Contact Information

Nick Cappa
Office: (248) 512-4266
Cell: (248) 202-8039
David Elshoff
Office: (248) 512-2690
Cell: (248) 797-2300
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