Ram 2500 Laramie: The Ultimate Tow Truck

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Ram 2500 Laramie: The Ultimate Tow Truck


If you need to tow a heavy load, nothing comes close to the ability offered by the new Ram 2500


Mark Short
11 March, 2016





Ram 2500 can tow almost seven tonne. Photo: Mark Short











It's only natural that the horse comes before the cart. But what if you've already got the biggest cart and can't find a horse to pull it?

That's often been the case for equestrian enthusiasts – or blokes with a big boat, couples with a cavernous caravan or tradies with a tonne (or more) of tools – that need to tow heavy loads such as floats capable of carrying more than two horses. While the latest crop of dual-cab utes that are proving to be popular family runabouts can pull a decent amount of gear (up to 3500kg) in some cases you need even more towing capacity to legally – and safely – tow the weight you want.

If this is the situation you've been facing then you'll know the choice has been fairly limited… until now, as Ram might just have the towing machine for you. In fact it's the ultimate towing machine you can drive on a regular licence, the Ram 2500.

Ram Trucks are imported into Australia by ASV (American Special Vehicles), a new venture between Australia's largest independent automotive importer and distributor Ateco Automotive and Walkinshaw Automotive Group, one of the world's leading automotive engineering companies. The iconic US trucks are comprehensively re-engineered and remanufactured to right-hand drive in Melbourne by ASV on a purpose-built production line and the vehicles are covered by a three-year, 100,00km warranty backed by the US company and a nationwide dealer network. ASV is Australia's only official importer of Ram Trucks.

Stepping up into the Ram for the first time you quickly realise that space isn't going to be an issue as there is plenty of room for six people in its large cabin that is full of goodies. The big leather front seats are heated and cooled, there's a heated steering wheel, climate control and a cranking stereo just to mention a few.

On the road the Ram is a big surprise. It has a smooth, comfortable ride, well-weighted steering for a vehicle of its size, effortless power and the biggest surprise is how quiet and refined it feels. Weighing in at 3577kg, the 4x4 Ram Laramie is a big boy but this is where its weight and the massive 6.7-litre Cummins turbo diesel reward you for towing. When the vehicle is fitted with a Pintle type attachment, the Ram 2500 can tow a hefty 6989kg. With a 70mm tow ball its capacity is reduced to 4500kg and 3500kg with the standard 50mm tow ball. The Gross Combined Mass when using a Pintle attachment is a whopping 11,479kg. That certainly makes it the ultimate towing machine!

We didn't take the Ram to its towing extreme during our test drive, but instead pulled a measly 2000kg worth of excavator over a series of steep hills and a mixture of dirt roads and highways over half a day. By the end we virtually forgot there was anything behind us; it was only on incredibly bad bumpy roads at 80km/h that we noticed any movement in the truck from the gangly excavator. Overall, the Ram was very planted the entire time and no hill was too much for the 1084Nm diesel which returned a 16L/100km fuel average while towing.

We even carried out a small performance test to verify its strength. From a standing start to 60km/h, the Ram was only 1.7 seconds slower when towing the excavator than it was unladen. That's not bad considering most cars would be similarly slower with two or three people on board.

There are not many down sides to the Ram. Parking spots are a bit harder to find, it only has a 913kg payload - which may not a big deal for most - and the $139,500 price tag (plus on road costs) is as big as the truck itself.

Obviously the Ram Laramie is not the ideal city run about or a fuel miser either, but that is not its purpose.

If you need a heavy duty vehicle to perform heavy duties, it is, just like the company says: "Ram, for when the job goes beyond ordinary".



Ram 2500 Laramie 4x4 Pricing and Specifications

Price: $139,500 plus on-road costs

Warranty: 3 years/100,000 km

Service interval: 12 months/12,000km

Safety: Not ANCAP tested but has passed ADR crash test

Engine: 6.7-litre 6-cyl Cummins turbo diesel

Power: 276kW

Torque: 1084Nm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Fuel usage: No official figures. We averaged 13L/100km combined unladen & 16L/100km combined towing 2000kg.

Dimensions: 6027mm (L), 2009mm (W), 1974mm (H), 3797mm (WB)

Weight: 3577kg

Payload: 913kg (2500 model), 1713kg (3500 model)

Towing: 6989kg (with pintle), 4500kg (with 70mm tow ball), 3500kg (with 50mm tow ball)

- Thanks to Camden Hire for the loan of the excavator in our photoshoot

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-revi...11-gngfr1.html